THE TRIAL OF CHRISTIAN TRUHT, BY THE RULES OF THE virtues, NAMELY THESE PRINCIPAL, FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY, AND RELIGION: SERVING FOR THE DISCOVERY OF HERESY, AND ANTICHRIST, IN HIS FORERUNNERS AND MYSTERIES OF iniquity.  
The Second part, Entreating of Hope.  
Wherein is made manifest, that the pretended Hope of the Protestant, empeaching the merits of Christ, his holy grace, and man his virtuous life, destroyeth all true confidence in almighty God, either exceeding in presumption, or wanting in Desperation.  
By EDWARD WESTON Doctor and Professor of Divinity.  Probate Spiritus si ex Deo sint. Prove the Spirits, if they be of God. 1. johan. 4. 
Printed at Douai, By the Widow of LAURENCE KELLAM, at the sign of the Holy Lamb. 1615.  
Permissu Superiorum.   

THE EPISTLE TO THE COURTEOUSE READER.  
THERE is nothing so sacred, which is not in some sort infested by impiety, or so pure and undefiled, that man his malice endeavoureth not upon occasion to pollute & corrupt. But for that such practices are in their own proper shapes and natures passing ugly and detestable, thereupon wily wit in them playeth cunning pranks, and laboureth earnestly to make that seem holy, which is plotted against all sanctity, that to appear shining bright, which is ordained to oppress and extinguish the very beams of the sun with an infernal vamp of error and foul transgression. Which manner of crafty malicious intendment is in no one kind, as more rueful to feel, so neither more vevable to behold, then in the progress of heresy & heretics against faith and children of the Gospel: whose endeavours either are so covert lie couched in the treanche of deep dissimulation, or so gorgeously set out upon the stage in the feigned colours of hypocrisy, that none shall be able to descry the treacherous conceilement of the one, and the false varnished splendour of the other, unless his watchful Prudence be balanced below with humility, and his humble obedience be reared up obove to the height and light of discreet vigilancy.  
When Abraham's servants had by digging found out sundry fountains 
G●n. 26.  for the commodity of clear water in the soil of Palestina, the inhabitans of the Country envying his success as it seemed, with violence dammed them up by quantity of earth cast into their discovered Springs: the which notwithstanding after by the industry of his son Isaac were cleansed, and in them the liquor was brought again to wholesome use, and native perfection. Whereupon did then arise a new manner of opposition betwixt the homebred shepherds of Gerara, and those of his own retineve: whenas his profane enemies did not now as before in Abraham's days, by strength of arm glut and stop them up, but maintained claim under a false title unto them: & so by slander and enmity sought to impatronise themselves with propriety of such precious treasures, which before God his people held in lawful possession. 
Orig▪ Homil 13. in c. 26. Goe  In like sort what ancient fountains of divine doctrine we have bequeathed us from the labours of the Patriarches, and Prophets; or of later invention discovered unto us by our Saviour Christ, and his Apostles, some bend their force● with the jew and gentle by earthly and carnal interpretations, or else by might of perseq●ution, vtt●●lie to abolish, and so to dry up the water of them even to the darkness of oblivion. Others not professing their total extermination, to wit heretics, commence suict. against their true owners by clamorous comba●ments, ireful instruments of fury, to entitle themselves Lords ou●r ●uch endowments, to which equity affordeth not them an●e allowable interest, or justifiable pretence. Notwithstanding in issue of effect, heretics as th●y st●●●e against us Catholics to be commanders of the fountains, so not content with the lordeshipp of them, moreover seek by their vs●● potion to defile them: with the Pagan and jew accord in this final pro●ect●, that they, as monuments and headspringes of faith, be 〈◊〉 up with clods and rubbish of infidelity and idolatry.  
It h●●he been averred in the precedent Treatise, that our assured assent 
Au●ust in 〈◊〉  of ●ill and understanding surrendered to saith, as upon rock and ancher doth depend upon some ouward authority, through boys of remar●keable gravity prevalent with such, who prudently are to judge what is to be b●leued, & what to be eschewed falsely recommended unto 
Rom. ●●.  them as matter of that heavenly quality. In regard whereof the Apostle S. Paul pronounced, faith to be engendered by hearing, and hearing employed about the same, to be directed to the word of God. Wherhfore that faith may be attained by hearing, not only is to be attended a sounding Voice of the Preacher, but all so the property of him as catechist is to be considered: in that from him only are we dutifully to hear in this important affair, who according to a iudiciouse calculation is found to be a divine messenger of the holy Ghost: for otherwise among many Doctors and masters in contrariety, our attentive hearing should be uncertain, distractive, and so liable to the decciptes of forging dissemblers and false Relligionars. Wherhfore when we have by a prudent examine once found out the weight and moment of authority, then in virtue of the same may we maturely esteem the Preachers words as the very words of almighty God, delivered unto us from the mouth of man, as from his oracle of approved service and designed ministery. For by the word of God the Apostle in that place did not mean the whritten word, but rather the word of the church in her preaching tradition: in that the word of the Gospel was not then registered by letters when he uttered that doctrine: and also for that, many 
I●en lib. 1. c. 5.  barbarous Nations converted to the faith of Christ, not knoving any record of scripture, nevertheless in their first conversions, and original matriculations in the society of God his people, as they conceived faith b● hearing, so also doubtless did they ●hen hear the word of God believing. Therefore the most assured, brief and substantial method how to stick to trauth when the ear●, instrument of faith and discipline, is assailed by fals●●ie, is exactly to discuss, which contradictory party is avouched by gre●ter and better authority, as through more ample number of believers, elder profession, orderly mission, more eminent sanctity, more famous explo●tes in the process of verity and virtue: then hereupon respectively it will be approvable by reason, relying on the one, to censure as light, weak, not worthy our admirtance such pretended authority, which in balance of trial shall appear● devoid of all those prerogatives of divine gravity and majesty. According to which manner of proceeding S. Augustin by way of ponderou●e authority doth not only excellently well prescribe in general against all heresy banded in arms to infested the Catholic faith, but moreover still disputing in particular against the manichees, the Donatists, the Pelagians, applieth this capital Prescription from outward authority to the present controverlie: and thereby not only Theologicallie, but also prudently, as each intelligent person may in like Case, concludeth for the Catholic faith against their heresies. And upon this ground, comperatively valeving the presumptuous authority of Protestants with that of Catholics, it hath been by me demonstrated, that natural prudence doth give sentence for us against them: and most evidently have we made it good, that Protestants for w●nte of this ouward competent authority, consequently have no means to settle and ancher themselves in substance, in constancy, in unity of belief, to convert Pagans', to reclaim heretics, or to condemn their errors as justly reprovable.  
Bu● what seemeth in this point to me most considerable, is this: that 
Cir. in exposit Symb. Nicen.  whereas the Protestant clearly perceiveth, that outward authority of grace and worth stanneth not for him, but rather for us, and in front of hostility against his faction, thereupon turneth he his battery to demolish and beat down this grand ouward authority diversely empeaching the same: & so in effect manifesteth himself an avoved soldier of Antichrist. For if once his impious and rebellious pride should prevail against authority in the affair of faith: if he shall dismantle faith of the safeguard & state of authority, forthwith must faith perish, as a tree despoiled of the bark, as a plant deprived of heavens influence, as the conduct wanting the pipe: then must there be no pregnant arguments left to reconcile the infidel or misbelever, no support remnant to a certain wavering Christians, no preservative extant against the infection of heresies and seduction: and then hereupon must all Christian piety and belief, as the Protestant formindeth, breath out their vital spirit into atheism & paganrie. In this respect deservedly Aetius, as whriteth Socrates, was surnamed the Atheist, for that disdainfully he misprised the authority of commentaries endighted by the learned Fathers, relying wholly in resolution upon his own private expositions 
Socrat l 2. Hist. c. 28.  devising this or that pretenddely, as sense deducted from the sacred Text. Also for this self same consideration S. Athanasius calleth Arius an 
Athanasius. orat 2. count. A●ian.  Atheist, all though in counterfeit resemblance he urged scriptures to fortify his heresy, in the mean season contemning authority, and boasting of himself as peculiarly illuminated by almighty God. And as concerning the Protestant, if we once think with him, that the church, from which in perplexity we are to receive assurance, in strife to gaigne repose, to be invisible, shrouded and buried in the bovells of darkness, what purpose is it for us in search to make repair to her mansion place or tribunal of judgement? If we conceit, as Protestants do, that the teaching authority of the church may err, and hath often times made lapse into falsity, why should we now for the present credit her definitions, peremptorely avouching, these whriringes to be the very word of God Ghostly from him inspired: almighty God to be one in substance, and triple in personality: the second person in the B. Trinity to be incarnated for the worlds redemption, seeing that in these, as well as in others matters by her indifferently recommended unto us, she may decline from verity, and all conformite with the prime & eternal truth? Whereupon abandoning churchlie authority, we must remain left to our own tiring devices, and so flit and wander, as shall please poor reason from her weak vigour changeably to give us information. Than at the the first brandeling step into a labarinth, shall we entertain opinion with the Arians, that it smallly importeth our salvation of what sect be our faith in sundry particular points, so after own devised fashion we believe in God & Christ: who as recordeth Athanasius, thought to be an 
Athana. orat. 2 con Arian. Epist ad. stud v●●. sol●●.  indifferent thing the asse●tion of Arins, & thereupon equally styled them good Christians, who followed the same. In like manner shall we consort with Donatists, who as witnesseth S. Augustin accounted it a matter merely disputable the practice of rebaptising. Also shall we join ●shue with Pelagians 
Aug ●●▪ cont. Cr●●con. c. 4. D●●ecc●to o●●g c 2●.  denying the necessity of grace to good life: In which thing, said they, as advertiseth us the same S. Augustin, if we be conninced to have erred, yet our error will not appear otherwise a fault, then against civility. After being possessed with this carving conceit in matter and object of divine faith, crying out with the strumpet Dividatur, lert variances in beelefe have free pasportes 
3. Reg. ●.  to travail without loss through damnation, our private devices in mutiny phantasying this or that, not giving us full contentment, doubting of all shall we rush upon atheism, and losing sense and spirit of heaven, finally die in the hidiouse gulf thereof. And h●re●s staked the dismal and black period of protestancy aviling and neglecting the regardeable 
Aug. epi. ●●●  authority of the Catholic church. Que est enim peior mors animae, quàm libertas erroris? what death ●f the soul worse, than freedom to err? For as hath been declared against the Protestant, his misprisall of outward authority concerning irrefragable judicature in questions controversed, importing assured delivery of the catechism to all desirous of instruction, openeth the gap to distrus●e, to dissensions, to all heresies, and at length to rennegacie of faith and infidelity purposed by Antichrist, and his unuersall band of enrolled complices. Than Christian Reader, I doubt not, but that thou haste understood by the precedenr part, first, that by virtue of natural prudence, if for thy direction in the affair of faith thou resolvest to follove any teaching authority, thou atte absolutely to follow that, which stanneth for the Catholic Roman belief: that of the protestant, in veve and verdict thereof, not being equal, or in any sort comparable. Secondly haste thou learned, how that the Protestā● by diverse his positions, purposely applied to disgrace all outward authority of the church, as denouncing, or rather renouncing it as invisible, as pliable to error, as subject to the examine & censure of every private spirit, as for many hundreds of years in service of Antichrist to have displayed his banner of cruelty, of falsity, of impiety: in defiance of Christ and Christian verity to have enacted sundry Canons and decrees, laboureth hereby to destroy the ordinary instrument of the Holy Ghost for the persuading of faith, and nurrishing the same; & so maketh entrance for rude, bloody, cruel, savage atheism, with barbarous neglect of all divinity.  
Moreover for that the total office of a Christian is not abridged in the 
Lactant lib. 1. I●st●▪ Chri●o. Homil. quod Nemo laeditur.  sole work of faith, but also is enlarged to a virtuous life: and in this respected most eminently, for that our saviour Christ, guider thereunto, in regard of the deity of his person, purity of his doctrine, and price of his desert, is most high, soverane, and efficacious, therefore survey is now to be made, to what p●tche of excellency in this kind is leveled this Catholic belief; then upon what border burteth the d●siguised credulity of the protestant. In discussion of which matters are to be employed the ensuing controversies apertaining to Hope, Charity, & Religion.  
There is no heresy, the which doth not, as affirmeth of Arianisme S. 
Athan. ora▪ 2. 〈◊〉 A●ian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. c 4 ●pist 166. 〈◊〉. ●● in job ●n. ca ●● C. ●. Ep Dedicated Theodosian Ho. 3. 〈◊〉 Thesaur▪ Greg N●ss ●. l de Character Ho●. Christian.  Athanasius play the part of the subtle serpent, investing itself in the sac●●d s●ow● o● holy Scriptures, thereby in secrecy to make entry into the paradise of Christ his Catholic church, and in that place in agency for Antichrist to ●●●ade Christ, intending to diminish his excellency, either in his person, in his merit, or in his gracious benevolence imparted to man kind. And for that this high degree of imparted goodness is especially aimed at by our saviour Christ, as fruit and end of all, to wit that his faithful children be in work and action of life excellently innocent, ritchely abundant, and so, as in a prime sort conformable to right reason, so also most agreeable to almighty God, author and giver of the same: hereupon Heretics under a pretended title of holy writ, and of magnifying Christ, have s●ily endeavoured to empare in man this perfection of virtue through Christ, yea contrariwise, to entice him to impure and dissolute liberty by a privilege of a feigned Gospel: at last to force him to the thraldom of Antichristian servility through sin and wickedness. Wherhfore the Father's wrighting against Pagans', among 
〈◊〉 li. ● cent. Iul●an. Aug Epist. 3. 5.  other arguments to prove unto them our Christian belief to be prudently credible, & to be entertained judiciously by all, have urged this as most pregnant and forcible, that our holy faith above whatsomever other institutions of human Philosophy, or coulorable inventions of painted Poetry, is most persuasive and vigorous for virtue: namely to to combine man with God in piety, man with man in charity, and in all integrity of conversation. Mark I pray the, writeth S. Augustin to his 
Aug. ●p●. 202. l. ●. quest. v●●. & N●●. Test. c. 7.  Friend Nectarius, with what praises in the Catholic Church are recommended frugality, continency, and in regard of wedlock fidelity, and to conclude, all other honest and good manners. In which when any City doth excel, it may be truly said, that it flourisheth. And when as some made argument against the Catholic faith, as prejudicial to the estates of Princes, and common wealths, the same Doctor thus discovereth their humour, and preposterous intended policy: Therefore they think, or seem so to do, that the Christian doctrine is contrary to the common utility, because they will not, that the common 
Augu. Epist. 3.  waalth do stand by the power of virtue, but rather by the impurity of vice. Le●t then such as avouch the Christian doctrine to be repugnant to the commonwealth, give me such an army of men, accordingly as the Christian doctrine informeth soldiers, let them give me such governors, such husbands, such wives, such parents, such children, such Lords, such servants, such kings, such judges: to conclude such payers of debts, and exacters of princes rents, as are appointed by the Christian doctrine, and then let them dare affirm the same to be hurtful to commonwealths, or doubt to confess, the same, ●f it b● followed, to be most commod●o●se unto commonwealths.  
And although virtue, in regard that it is a quality agreeable unto a reasonable soul, is in a degree most eminently pleasant thereunto, and as it were the liquor of honey flowing about the sense of taste, yet notwithstanding for that the intellectual invention of that mediocrity, which is the mark aimed at by man's will, in the object thereof, is not all Waise easily descried by every mind, and much more hard is it, to hold on that action bent by resolution towards the same, when sensual perturbations are a floote, and stand furiously in a●mes for the opposite vice, therefore it seemeth, that it is accompanied with contrarieties, as being light and dark to the intelligence, delicious and harsh, facile and troublesome unto the affection. Every man as speaketh the Prince 
A●●st 〈◊〉. ●a Moral. ca ●●  of the Philosophers, can draw forth a circle, but to point out the centre thereof, is a thing very difficult. Wherefore although it be an easy matter to discern in judgement what is the mediocrity of every perturbation, yet to keep in action this mediocrity, whereby we are made praysworthy, i● a business passing d●●fi●●ll. And therefore it is a rear thing to be an honest man. It falleth ou●e often times, that the amiable hew of virtue is shadowed with such ouward representations, as do not only hide the true lustre thereof ●●om the vulgar eye, but also unto the same make it contemptible and dispriseable. What spectacle 
Aug▪ ●●●. 3 ●n ●●. ●●.  more loathsome, sayeth S. Augustin, than martyrdom, ●f a man ask the question of his carnal eyse? yet what thing more ●aire, if he inquire of the eyse of the haerte? Who can easily perceive the splendour of patience shining in holy job sitting upon the dunghill, the carbuncle of zeal in Daniel buried in the lion's den, in S. Peter, and S. Paul imprisoned, tied in chains, banished, in want and indigence, dying violent deaths▪ or who can with Abraham in expedition of a decreed purpose hold up an arm made cruel with a sword, to kill his best & only dear Isaac among all his wo●dlie delights and contentements! wherefore in that Philosophy and Heathenish Poeterie were insufficient to give us this direction 
Ci●●l lib. 10. T●esaur. ca 3.  of mind to find out virtue, to entertain this courage of will to pursue the same, the son of God became man, intelligible by his doctrine, and imitable by his ensample, to the end we might know virtue, and consequently be enamoured with the beauty thereof. The Pagans' as writeth 
joseph. in Pr●●at. A●●iqui●.  josephus, imputed to their Gods shameful facts, and hereupon increased the malice of evil disposed persons for the accomplishment of all wickedness. And as upon revew of histories we may easily prove, that the ciuil●st and sue●est sort of people, living ever upon the earth, to have be●e Christians, so may we know, that our profession before all other hath arrived thereunto, in reckoning that it hath been addicted to virtue in all excellency, which intelligenceth the mind, and ridding the will of all harshenes, sweteneth it in amity, piety, charity; and so draweth the whole man from the lose of sensuality, That, as speaketh S. Augustin, As the beauty of the body 
Augu T●●. 32. i● 7. c. johan. 2. P●t. 1.  is the soul, so the beauty of the s●ule be almighty God. Happy and desired lucifer, expected by the sacred Apostle S. Peter, to arise in the haertes of all true believers! Not glittering mass of gold or silver, no rich juellrie of pearls and precio●se stones yea as speaketh Aristotle, no princely empire, by which mortal men do much resemble almighty God, bringeth 
Arist. l. 1. Madge Mor. c. 4. & 6.  man to that top a●d type of dignity, to that degree of honour and civil respect, to which virtue causeth him to mount and aspire. Upon which consideration, courtesou read, in regard of Civility, thou a●●e diligently to mark and ponder, which faith stanneth more effectually for documents to inform the understanding, for restraincte, and incicitements also of the will, to enure the same in all virtuous actions: for hereupon dependeth thy collective conclusion, to censure which faith and religion are truly civil and politic, and which baleful thereunto. And without all doubt, the end and drift of nature draving men to unity and combination of City, and common wealth, was not only by reciprocal commerce to enrich the inhabitants, to make them abound in pleasure, but especially that they should be hereby virtuous, & that in a better manner, than they could be living savadgely in distraction and vagrancie: for otherwise virtue set a side, greater calamity, and sharp●● misery, will accompany Citizens, Rulers, and subjects, then if they lived in sequestration upon mountains, in woods or dens: for that the malice and lust of man are then most potent, when they be armed with dissimulation, with craft, where the party assailing may contrive what he list: which tricks of unnatural policy have commonly for school the cour●e where virtue is wanting, for field and theatre the common wealth, for upshot barbarity, and hateful disunion. furthermore if in this affair, not relying on reason's discourse, we will solely behold the pole st●r of heaven the providence of almighty God, we shall even by experience know, that only virtue is civil and politic; in that virtue only is mother of love, of honour of prosperity, with out which no tricking descant, or odious cozenage of a barbarous politician, can make any common wealth truly civil, or for wisdom commendable. What brave and great exploits, I pray you, are brought to pass by this new gloss, by this forged coin, by his ●ascar●e altering nature in false viso●s, by these cloaks, which strike no thing but that which is not? where are at home their abundance, their contented and united minds, their trustefull repo●●s in each others ●●●iance? where are abroad their trophies of arms, and letters, of redoubted puissance & renown, of faithful leauge and amity? where is their same, which maugre death, and the whole heap of its funerals, glo●●fi●th the name against length of time, or envy of the wicked? what is then the sum? A little time to be dissolute, by little and little in time to dissolve all: and after time to be eternally and miserably tormented. Hear the judgement of josephus, a sage Historiographer among tha leaves. We may understand, 
joseph. Prae●at An●iq.  tha● such communities as are obedient to the will of almighty God, and are afraid to violate laws well decreed, to be prosperous in all success above human conceit: to whom almighty God for reward proposeth felicity. But contrariwise if the depart from the observance of th●m, their devices finally come to no good end: moreover their endeavours, which unto them seem good, expire in most remediless calamities.  
Whereupon in dew consequence doth it follow, that as the Christian 
Pla●o li●▪ de Repub A●ist. ● 〈◊〉. ca 1. ● Po●t C●c●●o ●● de leg●bu● X●ophon ●● C●●o Arist. in Magnis Mo●al ●. 1. c. ●.  belief is wonderfully available unto virtue, as to justice, to charity, religion, continency, fortitude, and temperance, so is it most effectually profitable to civility, and human commercement in society. Not famous Philosopher endoved o●ely with the light of reason, as commendable to posterity, hath hitherto written of civil institution, who hath no● laid douin as ground of such discipline virtue, and that good abearance betwixt man and man, which is conformable to right reason, and by means thereof available to the community: also supposing fell barbarity, opposite to civility, to be no thing else but a frovard distraction of man from man through vice and wickedness, ●ther ou●ewarely breaking into fury, or closely concealed under the resemblance of probiti●, infestingst artifically all honest decency of life and comportement: for as well (to give an example) stanneth in opposition against justice the ingenering Burglar, attempting his enterprise in the dearckenes of the night, 
Dissimilite● nocent sed non dissimilit●r ●●piunt Aug P●aef. in Psal. 9●.  as the open thief attending his booty on the high way side. Most apparent is it then, the new found kinde● of policy, attributed by some to these our dayese, as to a sager age, vaunted and vented forth from the pen of Nicholas Ma●●●●uill, to be nought else but an artificial introduction of barbarism, the nourcery in deed of all vice, the torment of of men's souls and bodies, the impeachement of the community, because it beareth strong head against virtue, the pillar and honeycomb of civil life & conversation. If the Ruler's security must be founded upon the deboshementes of the bodies and souls of his subjects, as upon their luxury, their incontinency, their roietousnes, their prodigality: If his assured stay must arise from their disagrement, their suspicions, treacherise, rivalitise, hostilitise, in reckoning of diversity in relligions or otherwise among them: if his wealth is to be purchased from their penuries, their bondage, from their base covardely & ignorant dispositions: as that Florentine Scribe advertiseth Princes, just according to the●enor of Barbarism, excellently described and politicly rejected by Aristotle, 
Ariosto l 5. Po●it. cap 1●.  then suppose we, that friend and friend, master and servant, lauwer and client, P●●sition and patiented, soldier and lustick, merchant and gentleman, husband and wise, be thus likewise affected correspondently to the Idea of a Prince towards his subjects, and these towards him, (as one will certainly ensue of the other) and then tell me in this mutiny of vice, in this ●nisprision of virtue, in this anxiety of fear and dread, in this eager pu●●uicte ofter private lust o● lukar, what ci●●litie will remain in a common wealth, what bond in●olablye combining citizens▪ or rather 〈◊〉 be confessed, that savageness will make her trophy, as upon the spo●les of virtue, so upon the overthrow of ●rew sound and solid 〈◊〉. In which respect, cour●eouse Reader, thou shalt understand, of what import is it, to entertain & embrace the Catholic Roman faith, even civil state of human society merely considered, it recommeding unto the so effectually virtue, the sole instrument of good policy, and repressing so poverably iniquity, the proper engine of cruel and disorderly 〈◊〉.  
Without all doubt if we shall in several by joincte and member anato●●se he belief of Protestants, we shall behold it according to the whole 〈◊〉 thereof, to have progeny, as mightily biased with carnality and 〈◊〉, from these three Heads: to wit for the understanding, that it be freed from commanding authority of man: that the will be licensed in liberty from conscionable subjection to Princes: and that sensual concupiscence bear sway as not controble by remorse of conscience, or opinion of spiritual hurt from any sinful transgression: all which are so many elements and letters, which spell barbarity. Of the former hath been made a sufficient remonstrance in the precedent part: the other to we are easily strained from the pregnancy of their doctrine. In general it is the humour of an Heretic, to be barbarous in furious and ●bidinouse outrage, resembled by those horses in the apocalypse, whose hurtful might was In their mo●thes, and in their tails: whereupon very elegantly thus S. Gregory: These horses, that is naughty Preachers, 
Apoc 9 Greg l 33 in ●ob. cap 29.  running every where by the instinct of carnality, have power in their mouths, and in their tails: for that preaching perverse things, and being borne out by the temporal magistrate, they exalt themselves by backward and worldly means. Were not Luther and Calmn in this respect barbed horses of Antichrist, to induce barbarism, whose rebellious mouths breathed out a religion contrary to the whole church then being regnant? whas not their tails also poverable, when promising men security in all lustefull liberty, drew many to the carrion of their dunghill? wicklefth, that disgraciouse monster of our nation, did he not poison the air, bane the bodies and souls of millions with incitementes to turpitude of life, avouching that God is author and ordainer of sin? and yet to Caluin, and Luther, to 
Luther lib de l. arb. Calum. l. 1. Inst cap. 3.  all Protestants he seemeth in this an Euangelister! Do not these infernal harpies teach no sin in villainy, in barbarity, to endamage an apprehending Protestanter, no good work of virtue to be puetly good, or good in purity, no observance of the law to be possible or needful? and why? but that men loiter, flying from labour in virtuous endeavours, and lull themselves a sleep in security, where all sins abound, where the worms of wicked facts break out of the living bowels of pampered paunches? where is among them the crystal fountain of profound speculation? where is any kerbing restraint to withdraw the will from sensual disports? where is any forcible invitement to live a vertu onse life, which be the three principal instruments of civility? surely that eye, which can not clearly take a veve of these wants among Protestants, liveth in Egypte, and knoweth no darkness: he needeth the Chelidonian stone to restore decried nature, being far from any accidental endoument, or excellency in this respect: he that perceiveth not these defects to be occasioned througe the very genius and drift of protestancy, well may he be proud, but not for excess in science, but rather for extremity of folly and ignorance.  
We are then for the present, to prove to we things against the Prostant: first that the whole purpose of his doctrine tendeth to the disgrace of Christ his metitt, empareth such means of his bounty, as hath been by the same purchased for us to attain unto perfection of life, and divine beatitude: as it were damning up the flood of God his mercies through our Saviour Christ, by which is conveyed to the paradise of his church the liquor of heavenly dew, the force of Christian grace, to fertilise our souls, to cleanse us from impurity, to carry us along in good action contrary to the main current and stream of our decayed and depraved natures: so that his steps forward of his pretended hope appear nothing else, but so many proud presumptuous passages ishuing from his folly, and determining in his own ruin, his most miserable and lamentable destruction. Secondly shall we make a most clear remonstrance, that his doctrine in the affair of Christian hope doth so▪ blemish and defile with the excrements of hell, disgorged from the mouths of old infamous heretics, of Antichrist that man of sin, the beauty of virtue, that men crediting him, shall have no just cause to be enamoured therewith, to make any especial regard thereof, no● trouble themselves much as atcheve the same: and that contrariwise endeavouring by sundry Positions to mask and excuse the deformity of vice, to lessen the grievous and hateful harm encurred thereby, doth consequently encourage mortal man to accomplish their f●ll course in all iniquity, and barbarity, the daughter of lose disportefull carriage. Let them gloze or the will, guild as the like, the ordure of defiled consciences, whilst they seem to repose on Christ alone for recovery and recure: let them flatter themselves in the mean season with the inheritance of a devised liberty, of a refined Gospel, and of a spatiouse place to dance the currant of their recom●o●ts: let them glory, that in their garden they gather nothing but roses without thorns, the course there about the allies and mazes without restraincte: the rest and sleep on the verdure of their late invented pleasant Fancies: yet this is, and shall be the upshott, and I hope Epitaphte read by the world of their doctrine, and endeavours, That men contemn virtue, and dread no vice.  
Contrariwise as our Catholic hope is passing strong, so is it also exceedingly pure and virtuous: the former is caused by this, that we hope through divine grace, the which is most potent and firm: the other proceedeth from such means as Christian hope useth to attain her end and purpose. Let man his hope sayeth S. Augustin, so be settled on God, that he 
Aug Ena●▪ a in Psalm. 90.  neither be alured from him by pleasure, nor broken through fear. There be tow principal affections, against which virtue is to strive: that is wanton and vain love, and also drooping dread. By love we trespass against virtue, preferring before it the opposite and forbidden delight: by fear of loss we leave our station, & perform not that, which is appointed 
Arist. in mag. Mor. ca 8. Apoc. 16.  by virtue. Whereupon thus concludeth Aristotle: wherefore virtue is employed about pleasures, and dolours. Therefore that is a preposterous hope, yea an inhuman and deformed expectation, which looketh for beatitude without all dependence of virtue and true civility: as if one might through Christ arrive to eternal bliss, and yet permit his love to yield to concupiscence, suffer his fear to work the omission of that good office, which is prescribed by virtue: and in deed such a hope as this is, found in the Protestant, is no thing else, butt the witch Circe's her cup to transform men into beasts, and in deed that goble●, which the Babylonian strumpet, daughter to Antichrist, and mothermistresse of all Protestants, tendereth to all, whose liquor drunk by them turneth their estates to that condition, which is proper to the brats and slaves of the beast, that man of sin Antichrist. Our Christian hope than aught to be puissant and resolute; yet pure and honest; and in that respect more pure and honest, because it is not Philosophical, but Christian, not human, but divine. Consider th●n, I beseech the Gentle Reader, first, what reliance hath the Catholic hope on virtue, whose ancher taketh hold on the goodness of almighty God, and also upon the goodness of life & action, although in a diverse quality: not presuming with an unclean repose, as sinful touch, to lay hold on purity itself. On the other side seriously way with thyself, how a Protestant by eficacie of his pretended hope is not only defiled, but likewise emboldened by sacrilegious conceit, as if from heaven he were assured that his hope divorced from virtue were sufficiently available to a●cheue his final end of happiness. whereupon must thou needest conclude, that faith to be accepted of the, which bringeth forth a virtuous Hope: and such avouched faith to be rejected, which boldly lanceth in to the debth of all iniquity: which acertaineth men of their salvation, when suarming with vices they look in presumption for that crown, which is end & period of all man's endeavours.  
In what pitiful plight must then be plunged that common wealth, in which, with Machiavilian policy concurreth and accordeth Protestantish Theology? The Machiavilian will advertise the Prince, that his assurance of estate dependeth on the sins and baseness of his subjects, as upon their disagrementes, upon their voluptuous riot and effeminacy, upon their simplicity, slavery and ignorance: then the Protestantish minister will preach▪ both to Prince, and subject, that no wickedness is to be imputed ●nto a believer, that the law of God and nature is impossible, that virtue is neither commendable, nor priseable, that civil l●wes oblige not the conscience, that sins by abolishment are never assoiled, that the Rule of faith is each man's private spirit enterpreting the word, that almost no heresy is damnable: That the splendour and substance of ouward Religion is superstition or idolatry: & so when all are possessed with these principles of court, and Pulpit, the hearers and crediters as they will be lavish for vice, and disdainful towards verve and heaven, so finally their manners, besides offence against God, & trespass against Nature, besides mi●prisall of the cross of Christ, will be resolved into barbarism: for as nothing is truly civil but learning, and virtue, so nothing balefully barbarous but ignorance, and iniquity. Alas, what laudable maiestry is it in way of policy, to induce the rude popularity into a religion, & to confirm them in the same, which is grateful to sense, proportionable to the inclination of flesh & blood in their distemperatures. The Turchishe discipline of government dependeth principally upon these three apoinct●ments: first that the understanding be not troubled with any difficulty in matter of faith: then that sensuality be gratified by free accerse, with all indemnity, of carnal pleasures: lastly, that presentment of horrible penalties ●nforce bodies & souls into slavery and utter dastardy: all which serve as instruments to retain in office and duty that base generation. Contrariwise a thing prayesable is it, and worthy a civil governor so to dispose the haertes of subjects, that willingly they submit their minds to objects of belief, which exceed natural reach, and as it were traverse the course thereof: then to incline their affections to such observances, as be austere, irksome, and afflictive to concupiscence: finally to make virtue so powerable with them, that terror do not so much move them to good abearance, as a cordial love of virtue, and especially, an inflamed charity towards God and man. This, This was the course of policy, which our ancient and renowned fore fathers have held, so glorious unto them, & availelable to us, enjoying now the fruits of their ra●e wisdom & constitutions.  
It shall suffice then, gentle Reader, that I a far of cry thee aim, and give thee intelligence by the duty of a faithful Sentinel, and a loving Patriott, in that prefession most assuredly pleadged, and strongly obliged ever to remain thine for thy chiefest good and abletterance in what he may  
EDWARD WESTON.   

THE TRIAL OF CHRISTIAN TRUTH AGAINST HERESY, By the rules of virtue, serving for discovery of Antichrist in his foorerunners, and mysteries of iniquity.  
THE SECOND PART.  

The Catholic Roman faith related to hope in regard of principality, and subjection in a civil commonwealth, as also of all virtue in general, is marvelously commendable and convenient: implying likewise in itself hereby such arguments of probable credibility, as human prudence may either wish or desire.  
CHAPTER. I.  
THE inward ability of man his soul, as well by Divines as Philosophers, 
Division of man his power in his soul.  is divided into two kinds: that is into one part thereof Reasonable, and the other Sensitive. That of reason comprehendeth the understanding, and the will: & that of sense is two fold, to wit Concupiscente, and wrathful. Concupiscence maketh force to attain conceived pleasure: wrath and ire, as of her guard, endeavour to give repulse unto such obnoxious events, and opposite things, as may deprive concupiscence of her desired delight. Which doctrine S. Macharius thinketh 
Ambr li. 3. de virgin Mach. hom. 1. Ezech. cap. 1.  to have been illustrated by the objects of the Prophet Ezechiel his great vision, thereby beholding the face of a Man, of an Ox, and of a Lion, environed with a great light, and combined all together in one fashion and order of proportion: as if the visage and feature of a man signified his faculty Reasonable, that of an Ox, his Concupiscence, and that of the Lion, his Ire or Wrath: all which, as they be parts of man his soul, so likewise are they necessary instruments of his good carriage and function▪ Moreover the will and affection of man according to S. Augustin & S. Thomas 
Aug 83. quest. q. 51.  is said sometimes to be divided within itself, yea fight by severed members of itself against itself, the face of a man, as it were, that of an Ox, and that of a Lion striving in it for victory: so that the will is then Concupiscence, when it gathereth up forces to 
S. Th●. 1. part. q 92. ●●. 3. in 3. Sent▪ Dist. 26. q 2▪ a●●. ●.  the purchase of pleasure: Wrathful, when by courageous fortitude it breaketh and overcometh adversity. For the present we are only now to discuss such perfection of man, as belongeth to the Reasonable ability of the understanding, hereafter being to inquire of the due institution of Concupiscence & Wrath in the ensuing chapters ape●taining to Hope, Charity, and Religion. Seeing therefore we are now to search for the best direct on of man his mind, as prime cause of his whole carriage, I recomend unto the discreet Reader for his directory this one consideration: that whereas the gifts of Almighty God his grace accrue by the merit of his Son CHRIST unto man his nature, in that professed faith and belief is undoubtedly to be found the efficacy and worth of grace, the which in regard of virtue, doth mo●e f●ll●e and completlie perfect nature: and contrariwise that pretended credulitie●s to be esteemed as most false and devilish, the which d●presseth nature, causeth it to falter and fail in that course of behaviour, which reason shall judge to be most convenient for the same, and so consequently by it also ●o be most desired.  
2. The verity of two things are especially by a certain and well grounded knowledge 
The ●●●●●ise o● 〈◊〉 life.  in man his understanding to be agnized: the first importeth ●he persuasion, that his soul is immortal: the other that Almighty God is existent, and provident over all things By the one we may deem, that we are not allotted to ter●e●e and transitory 
Aug. 8●. quest. q. 53.  pleasures as to ou● final end, but rather ordained f●● exercise of virtue, in like sort as the soul is of a constitution spiritual and eternal. By the other we resolu● to be a main pa●te of our office and duty to surrender supreme homage unto divine majesty, to live in fear and reverence of the same, and to reckon ourselves as accoumptable at his judgement sea●e for every action of ou●s here in this life, either performed, or omitted. For without these two circumstances, general k●i●s, and pole-stars of a politic estate, no civil invention can sufficiently ●en●e man his demeanour from barbarism of vice, from distemperature of affection: the judgements of which once being extinguished, when the ●●a●●ing and fiery eye of outward justice by secrecy and security from pain is avoided, th●n our concupiscence will break and rush forth into bad designs, and our ireful faculty by violence and outrage, or else sly conue●ance, will make free passage for the same, to the ruin and disordering of all human society. Contrariwise, what manner of affection, correspondent to civility, worketh in man the recognizance of Almighty God, and of his sacred providence, Cicero thus declareth: 
●ic in 〈◊〉  Who can do otherwise, when he considereth, that God hath a care of him, th●n day and night, even with horror adore the Divinity, and if any adversity fall out, from which who is free▪ fear that it hath 〈◊〉 happened! Whereupon passing prudent was the fiction of Homer, according to which Venus meeting with the Goddess Sleep, & requesting 
H●m. 〈◊〉 14.  her to con●●●l by her art from jupiter his eyes what she intended, received this answer:  

What God som●uer el● with bond of sleep I could  
Bind fast, even Ocean father of the Gods, if that you would.  
But of jupiter, Saturn's ●h●ld, the restless eye to press,  
Is not my power, nor da●●● venture on such fact I do confess.   
To the same purpose of civility doth it belong, that Citizens' re●aine an acertained persuasion, that the proper office of man is virtue, as designed industry of his body and soul, squared out, and commanded by reason: and that by the same virtue he imitateth Almighty God, as thereby fashioned and mannered out with an amiable, and prise●ble shape even unto the divine affection. Of which consideration th●s speaketh Aristotle: He who performeth his duty agreeable unto the mind, cultivateth the same, and is 
Arist libr. 10. Ethic. c. 8.  well therein disposed. And it is very probable, that such a one is most dear unto Almighty God. For if the immortal Gods have any care of men's affairs, as it is most likely they have, also it is probable, they be delighted with them, as with things most near resembling themselves, such as are their minds: and also that they reward such with gifts and savours, who love m●st their minds, and make chiefest reckoning of them, as o● things especially respected by the Gods, having a great care of them performing right and good ●nd●●ours. To the same effect of virtue and civility, thus deviseth Seneca: Of what quality will sleme to be unto thee that 
Senec ep 100L.  diui●e light, when thou ●halt behold it? Assuredly this one cogitation w●●● not permit any uncleanness to he in the bottom of a soul, no vility, no cruelty: for it avoucheth the Gods to be witnesses of all things. In force of this cogitation men have pursued by a natural instinct purity of a virtuous life, and have sought by all means possible for expiation and purgation from sinful filth of action once contracted, abhorring to present before the divine aspect the ugly purtractures of a defiled heart and spirit.  
3. Contrariwise, when the reasonable faculty of the soul is without all guidance 
S Th. 22. q 81. a●. 4. Homer. Odiss●x. ●li. n. pap. l 5▪ sylvan. Bo●er. in descrip. Peru. Senec. epist. 102. l 4▪ de Benef. c. 4. 18. Pl. in Marcello. The orig● of Barbarism. Rom ●. Ps. 1●.  from touch and belief of Almighty God, necessarily, as virtue then will be soon vanquished by Concupiscence, and Ire, so civility will be thereby excluded, and fell barbarism of violence and craft will every where bear rule and commaundrie. For indeed barbarity, although it have the absolute accomplishment in faculty of man ●ras●●bl●, notwithstanding it remarketh origen & beginning in the mind, especially when it is void of all heavenly intelligence, concerning the certain knowledge of Almighty God. In regard whereof the Apostle S▪ Paul recounting the humour and disposition of the Gentiles, before they were enlightened with the Gospel, thus speaketh: There ●● not among them an intelligent person: there ●● not any inquiring after good. Here as beginning of barbarism, and head of the pe●egrie thereof, is placed ignorance and infidelity in respect of Almighty God. Than from hence ishueth in the Concupiscible faculty a bruti●● declination from honesty to unlawful pleasure: All have declined, and become unprofitable. There ●s n●t any which doth good, not not one. lastly from these precedent causes▪ raceth out in furi● the barbarous distemperature of enmity, of hostility, usurping empire in the Irascible part: Their thro●●●● an open sepulchre, with their tongues they dealt ●ra●t●li●, the po●so● of 〈◊〉 lieth under their tongues; whose mouth is full of malediction, and 〈◊〉 contrition and ins●licitie are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known. When heaven is not held in price with men, when they neither bend nor stoup● by homage to the majesty of Almighty God, when they respect no judge above, what may de●●ine them from possible delights here below, from expected honours, puissance and riches, liable to their abilities? It is not the penal law, which can command the heart's affection, or dread from thence, which may always rebut the rush of burning lust, the fiery fierceness of revenge & purchase, the blustering blast of raging ambition. Rather when once Almighty God is co●temned, or not considered by mortal men, this will be their barbarous resolution: 
A●r●l. pr●●▪ i● Psy●o●.   

Quis m●h● regnator 〈◊〉 quis conditor orb●●?  
Quis Deus, quae iam meritò metuenda potest●●?  
Ib● per impuros feruent● libidine luxus,  
Ins●●●a●or habens aliquid sine teste propinq●i  
Depositum, tenac●s avidus spoliabo client●●:  
Long●●●am perimam magico cantamine matrem.  
Who heavens Lord to me, who worlds Creator doth appear:  
What God, whose powerful hand with reason aught I fear?  
I'll run to foul delights, whilst furious lust doth burn:  
I'll beds with incest soil, and sacred shame isle spurns.  
What neighbour layeth with me, if witness be not known,  
I'll openly deny my charge, and take it for my own.  
Let hand of avarice the client spoil, although he hold full fast,  
Let magic charm end mother's life, if life yet longer were to last.   
4. Whereupon all the Sages of the world have conspired in this one opinion, that 
Sondery means choose by men to know Almighty God, as by the Gen●●.  for support of civility, and discharged of man his natural duty, is necessarily required some certain knowledge of Almighty God. Only in this hath appeared the differency among them, that by sundry means they have sought to derive unto their minds this heavenly intelligence. To this effect some have depended upon the relation of spirits, called Geni●, by oracle, or otherwise, expecting from them all Theological 
Plin lib. Nat. Histor. cap 7. P●utarch ●. de Socr. Daemon. Prudent. perysteph, Claud. paneg. Hono. lib. 1. odd. 29. Hierem. 32. Aug. de Doct Christ. c. 17. 18. 19 20. 21 22 ●●. de Diuina●. Demon. ● 83. quest. q. 79. Senec. Suasor 4. Pluta●●●. de defect. orac. Clem. Alex. ●. 1. Strom. ●ul Firmic. lib. de origin. Errotis. Ser●nus ●. de ●ato. Hermias Tom 4. B●● Sanctae. Philosophy in some sort is a perfection to be desired. Sap 16. Rom. 1.  information. But proof and experience have declared to man the infirmity, or rather iniquity of these genial gods and intelligencers to this our purpose of instruction. For besides that, they withdraw our cogitations from Almighty God, making them to border & end in themselves: also as Pliny and Plutarch witness (although otherwise much addicted to their service) they appoint such actions, such rites and customs unto their followers, as they manifest thereby, that they are in deed rather deadly enemies unto mankind, than nourishers & pedagoges thereof: as when they prescribe slaughter of young children in Sacrifice, foul ceremonies at their altars, sorcery, and all manner of horrible crimes and wickedness. Moreover it hath been observed, with what falsity and injury against Almighty God, as noteth S. Augustin, they have often times deluded men's expectations by their vocal oracles or soothsayers, fra●ming all their devices not by rule of any science, but according to hap of event: as witnesseth Seneca the elder, Plutarch, Clement Alexandrin, julius Firmicus, julius Serenus, Hermias, and others. Besides these inconveniences, for that one certain and common rule cannot be expected from these Genij to serve for all, men would vary and disagree among themselves in matters of greatest consequence, to the perturbation of the commonwealth, to the bane and overthrow of virtuous civility, by such ambiguous and opposite sentences ordering their endeavours.  
5. Others have laboured to attain unto the knowledge of Almighty God only by the faculty of Philosophy, and speculation of these natural things, which beheld of us represent in some sort both the being of one God, and also his infinite, and admirable perfections. Truly of this there is no doubt, but that Philosophy is necessary in regard of civil science, much serving also unto divine Theology, and in general conducent to all virtue. As concerning Almighty God, seeing that all his creatures by contemplation beheld by us, do represent him as their God, their Lord and maker, it followeth that according to degree, in which students more severally, & profoundly discern and penetrate the natures and qualities of them, they do likewise behold in a more shining and distinct contemplation that sovereign perfection in Almighty God the centar of all, as is very well remarked by the Angelical Doctor S. Thomas. Whereupon doth likewise ensue that great love in us towards his Divine Majesty: 
5. Thom. 1. part. q●. a●t. 1.  which affection is the very fountain of all probity and decency in all our occupations. Moreover Philosophy, even whilst it contemplateth the fabric of universal nature, as not then considering the proper principles of morality, availeth even then passing much to Religion, to justice, to temperance, to a magnanimous contempt of earthly affairs or accidents. Seneca discoursing by letter with his friend about mere speculations of nature, as of the heavens and elements, imputing unto him this demand, 
Seneca epist. A 1.  But what appartaine these disputes to good manners? returneth accordenglie this answer: Not every document, which is moral, doth forthwith make a man good. One thing serveth to nourish man, an other to exercise him, an other thing to apparel him, an other to teach him, an other to delight him: Notwithstanding all concern man, although every one of them make him not the better: other things in an other sort appartaine to manners. Some correct men, and order them, others search out their nature, and origen. Wherhfore when it is demanded, why nature produced man, why she hath preferred him before other creatures, dost thou think, 
Cic in Lucul. Hieron. l● ad Magnum o●at. Aug. de Doct Christ. c. 16. 40 Aliud est enim scire tantummodo quid homo credere debeat propter adi●●scendam vitam beatam, quae non nisi aeterna est: aliud autem scire quemad modum hoc ips●m & pijs opitulctur, & contra impios defendatur, quam proptio appellare vocabulo scientiam videtur Apostolus. August. 14. de Trin. c. 1. Hanc enim, quam Dialecticam vocant quae nihil aliud docet, quam consequentiam demonstrare, seu vera veris, seu falsa falsis, nunquam doctr. na Christiana formidat. Aug. l 1. count. Crascon. c. 20. Philosophy not sufficient for man his instruction. Senec in praefat l. de quest. Natural. Cic in Lucul. Senec l●. nat. quest q 32.  I departed far from precept of good life and manners? It is not true. For when wilt thou know, what manners are to be entertained by us, but when thou understandest, what is best for man, after thou hast looked into his nature? Than at length shalt thou perceive, what is to be done of thee, and what is to be eschewed, when thou hast learned what thou owest unto thy own nature. In like manner Cicero entreating of the morality, which floweth unto our lives from natural Philosophy, saith: The consideratien and contemplation of nature are as it were the natural food of minds and wits. Hereby we are reared up on high, we seem to be enlarged, human things we despise, and thin●ing on supernal and heavenly things, our commodities here below we contemn as small, and of little importance Hereupon doth the Catholic faith allow and much esteem the studies of liberal sciences, thereby partly to civilize & suppling the harshsenes of our rude natures, to withdraw our employmentes from brutish pleasures; and also by furniture of them, as by the Egyptians spoils, as speak S. Hierom and S. Augustin, better to explicate the mysteries of our belief, and likewise to defend them against the pride and error of any false pretended Philosophy and literature. And from hence natural prudence may deduce a main forcible argument for the proof of truth in our Christian Faith and Religion: for whereas the Turk, and other barbarous people, conceille their mysteries in a coverture of silence, and dreadful stupidity, we contrariwise, notwithstanding we credit such high verities above reason, and so repugnant to our sensuality, as of the Blessed Trinity, Incarnation and Passion of God, Yet we in open school discourse of them, dispute and discuss them curiously and exactly, as being resolutlie by a supernatural light enforced against the strength of all falsity: nothing being to us more precious and dear, than the empire and prevalence of truth.  
6. Nevertheless in that our Philosophy is infirm, variable, and divers, yea even about such objects as are most familiarly conversant with our senses, from thence is no security, for repose of a settled judgement in matters of Divinity, or means competent therein so tendered of agreement with perpetuity in a multitude, as law of human civility and society seemeth to require. Wherhfore Seneca considering the general ignorance, which had overgrown man his mind, and also the manifold differences among Philosopher's in their search after Almighty God, thus discourseth. So great error holdeth our mortality, that we dame this wordels fabric, than the which there is nothing fairer, nothing better disposed, or in purpose more constant, to be a thing of casualty and v●lubilitie: and so tumultuous, and situated betwixt floods, clouds, tempests, and other things, which beat the earth, and things near unto it. Neither this madness doth reign only among the common people, but also is found in such as profess wisdom. For amongst them there are, who think they have a soul, and that providently disposing all affairs of themselves, and of others, and yet they d●m● this universoll machine, in which we are, to want counseille, to be carried about by temerity: so that nature knoweth not what she doth. Upon the same consideration thus Cicero: Werefore by reason of dissensions among the Philosophers, we are constrained to be ignorant of our Lord God. From whence it did ensue, that the world grew even weary in Seneca his time of Philosophers, and left of to frequent their schools, as he himself reporteth. Who regardeth now Philosophy; or any liberal study, unless plays be omitted, or a rainy day fall out which is good to loose? Whereupon so many families of Philosophers are extinguished for want of succession. The Accademickes, as well the elder, as younger, have left behind them no famous professor. Who now declareth the doctrine of Pirrho? That Pythagorical school of an envious troop, wanteth a master. The new sect of the Sextians, as the strength of Rome, whilst with great seruencie●t did begin, even then expired on a sudden And who is he that will suffer loss of goods, life or liberty, merely in asseveration of an opinion invented by Philosophy, when power and argument shall stand against it?  
7. Wherhfore the defect of other instruments proved and experienced, in due 
The necessity of faith.  consequence, there are no remanant means for us to discover the eternal truth of Almighty God in himself, and in his benefits respecting mankind, then by divine faith speaking unto us by some audible authority, graced with the poising ornaments of gravity, constancy, sanctity, and veracity, serving fitly thereby for our information and direction to that end, for which we are created. And as faith bordering upon supreme authority, doth limit the understanding of man; that it once reposed and determined with the non plus ultra of the first commanding truth in God Almighty, his affection may after hold a more assured and grounded course of good life, so it seemeth by this principle of faith, that man is reduced to the very headspring and beginning of all natural and civil endeavours; as do excellently well consider S. Hierom, and S. john Damascenne. Upon faith saith S john Damascenne, do depend all human and 
High in expos symb. Damas'. lib. 4. cap. 12. Aug. de util. Cred. cap. 14.  spiritual affairs. For we see, that the husbandman without faith tilleth not his ground. Neither deuo●de of faith doth the merchant, carried upon a few boards commit himself to the fury of the waters Matrimony is not contracted without beleef● or finally any thing is undertaken belonging to humanelife, without the same. Only then it remaineth, that according to verdict of prudence we now recount, what conditions in such faith are to be remarked.  
8. First therefore this faith, in regard of things to be believed, and weight of credit 
The qualities of a Civil faith.  in the proponent of them, aught to be an assent of man his understanding judicial, reasonable: not slight, or lightly upon occasion of a glance of the mind entertained. For if this quality be wanting, the best wits in a commonwealth will desdaine to embrace it: So that customary fashion do not otherwise externally prevail with them: and they will verily think, the prince to serve his own private to have hailed in such a belief into the commonwealth, as they say, by the head & shoulders, in inward opinion and affection not making any reckoning thereof. To whose precedent and example they will after accordingly also esteem of the same, and have their consciences as free, and not restrained by scruple or commaundrie of such an erratical invented planet of Policy. Whereby licensed in this sort to all liberty, with scorn of that faith they outwardly profess, they will break out into all insolence and barbarism of demeanour, when occasions with indemnity shall be presented For in deed it is all one, to have no belief, and to retain such a one, as is not probable, or agreeable to common judgement. Wherhfore this raineboe faith may well be a help unto a prince, governing by barbarous tyranny, to scatter his people into troops of faction and dislike, to deboshe them with vice, to perplex them with fears and suspicions, to overrun them with ignorance and brutish conversation, but never shall it serve for a civil institution, or abetterance of the community. In this respect Aristotle laying down particular precepts, 
Atist. l. 7. pol.  the which may avail a Prince, resolving to govern even by barbarous tyranny, willeth him to be careful and studious in profession of Religion; and that in such sort, as that he seem so to do, s●ue simulatione stultitia, without fainting in a religion by art forced and forged, or in such a one, which the best spirits may justly censure as folly and weakness of brain. For as the foundation of a house is to be sure, upon firmity of it the whole edifice subsisting, so faith in Almighty God, the substantial support of civility, is to be both in prince & subjects souls deeply entrenched, and soundly grounded.  
9 Moreover in faith, as rule of man his civil & moral life, is to be regarded force 
The unity of faith.  of unity and conspiracy in one accord of belief. Which being wanting, forthwith will arise in swarm & mutiny sundry heresies, as the steely brood of Cadmus, which will disturb by variety of arms and clamours all peace in a commonwealth. Neither is any commotion so tempestuous, hot and barbarous, as that which breaketh out of the Sanctuary: heaven as it were patronising the auctores of garboils on earth, as shall hereafter more amply be declared.  
10. Also this faith aught to be holy, that is an inducement strong and forcible unto 
〈◊〉 of fa●th.  virtue, & integrity of life. For seeing that the end, & also means of true policy and authority, is moral goodness in the sub●ectes, therefore to this purpose is only suitable 
Dio●o● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xe●● Cito rebuketh layers ●at●●r 〈◊〉 how to Pu 〈…〉 offences, then to procure that offences be ● not Conc. T●d ●ess. 6. Can. 28. joan 7. joan 5. Alph de Au. l. super aud● filia cap ●4 1. ad Timo. 1. Aug Tract 30. in joa. cap. 7. Tract. 54 c 12. Plat. l de Rono status Rel. c. 26. Isa. 11. Ex quo eni● fremuerunt gentes, & popule meditati sunt inania adversus Dominum, & adversus Christum eius, quamde ab eis fundabatur sanguis Sanctorum, & vastabatur ecclesia, usque ad hoc tempus, & deinceps, quotidie minuentur. Aug. l. de Divinat. Daem ca 10.  such faith, as ●s pregnant with seeds of virtue, containing in her bowels the efficacy of all honest deportment, as Diodorus and Xenophon avouch. And although faith may remain with any mortal sin, infidelity only excepted, as it is defined in the Sacred Couns●ll of Trent, yet he, who is of a more virtuous & debonair disposition, will sooner yield to faith▪ then an other perverted by vice: and also where sin, forbidden by faith, aboundeth, there faith is ordinarily in greater Ieopard●e▪ in that the same affection which once allodgeth sin, will continually st●iue against faith forbidding sin, and causing, that the delicious guest do fret the offendant h●s conscience with painful remorse and sharp resentment. And therefore this sinful resolution will alwaise fight against faith, to be freed from affliction of conscience procured thereby. As touching a fit disposition of man first to receive faith, our assertion is justified by the express words of our Saviour Christ. I● any do his will, he shall know of my doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. Again, how can you believe, whoseeke for glory one of an other? Which point is very well pondered by Alfonsus de Auila. The Apostle also affirmeth, covetousness to have made many to perish in shipwraek of their faith Than let every one, who is inclined, or resolved, to discredit our Christian Catholic faith, lay his hand on his breast, and inquire of himself seriously without flattery, what is the prime motive to such a renegade disdain of his, and he shall find that not sharpness of wit, nor depth of judgement giveth the check and distaste, but his own sinful conscience and purpose devoted to that pleasure, which faith reproveth and reproacheth as damnable. Now if consideration be made of the several parts of virtue, disclosed in the bosom of our Catholic belief & credence, we shall see it fully fraught and replenished therewith. Faith beholdeth admirable gifts, by almighty God bestowed on mankind, as in proper and particular, the benefit of the Incarnation, the assured tuition of the Church, the treasury of seven Sacraments, the holy majesty of a dreadful Sacrifice, the fortification of Sanctification by grace: whereby in recognizance of such great benefits, towards so bountiful a Lord in most ardent charity we may be enkindled. Also for mutual love and amity among ourselves, for the avoidance of sin, and purification from stain thereof, our saith eyeth objects of singular force and ability. It is our faith, which hath melted into tears so many repentants, reclaimed from worldly empire Clothariusses, C●arlema●es to life monastical: which hath combined in peace and unity, as foretold the prophet I say, lions, wolves, sheep, bears, in one heard of a civil society: which hath sweetened crude and rough natures, mollified bloody minded persons, reconciled with friendship disagreeing affections, overmastered persecuting enemies, as noteth Saint August. O how fortunate would I esteem myself, if I might behold this cement of the Catholic faith, even with dispense of my own blood, to procure a civil unity, as of so many strings in one instrument, so under our noble king james, of the too famous Nations of England, and Scotland, as members of one absolute Monarchy: without all national partiality each good subject enjoying the common blessings of our Isle's abundance! Certes nothing less than this can perform it: and this not granted, they may sooner be disjoined in their local unity, then united in any sincere equality.  
11. There is not any thing which doth so recommend the verity and civility of 
Force of faith. Philo lib de Charitate joseph. l. 2. Ant. c. 12. Haec est doctrina Christianorum, non plane conferenda, sed in comparabiliter praeferenda doctrinis Philosopho rum: immundiciae Epicureorum, superbiae Stoico tum Augustin Tract. de Epicur. & Stricis cap ultim. The divinity of faith proved by true policy, effect thereof. Gregor Nissen I de Homme Christiano. Faith serving to civility is also Catholic.  any faith, as force it hath to move men to virtue. Whereby Philo and josephus imagined, that their pens much graced their Country of jury, & then to have made worthy of respect with foreigners their belief & religion, when they deciphered all moments for efficacy to virtue & charity they implied. In piety, saith Philo, are contained all other virtues. From which they can be no more separated, than a body in the sun from a shadow. Wherhfore seemeth to me as most absurd the collection, that some impious persons do make: who when they consider the long and aged times of the Catholic Roman Church, the great force that our faith hath to command the souls, consciences, and bodies of men, through offices of religion, and other moral virtues, as of obedience, temperance, fortitude, benevolence, justice, abstinence, & Chastity, hereupon conclude, such faith to be merely politic, & invented by man for an end civil and temporal. For in deed the clean contrary is rather upon the premises to be gathered: as in this sort. The Catholic saith, by Church prelacy, & commandments of laws, is passing politic, & beneficial even to the wordly good of Princes, and Subjects: Therefore it is no human devise, but a divine institution. For seeing that only virtue is politic, and vice solely barbarous, as shall be after declared, thereupon is to be inferred, that belief to proceed from Almighty God as true in deed, which through virtue more potenthe reduceth man kind by imitation to its first auctor, and maketh it to resemble thereby in some moderation that infinite perfection in the same abounding. Which assuredly is the very purpose of divine providence, coveting always to unite man unto the prime cause, from which he hath ishewe and progeny.  
12. Lastly, most available to a civil society will be the choice of that faith, which in unity is Catholic, that, which in extent is sovereign & generally received among Christians. For seeing that no one single profession, in compass of place, number and majesty of empire, can equalies the Catholic body, that Prince which is devoted to any sect is thereby to be accounted an enemy unto many: he is to be suspected by many, and infested from as many. And for that naturally nothing is more odious than heresy, the harm thereof is like to fall on those, who afford patronage thereunto. Wherefore such Princes as desire to bring to pass rare and eminent exploits, or have a care dying in the bed of honour, to live after by fame with posterity (the profession of the Roman Catholic faith to such grand designs and purposes being only of moment, in comparison of all other beliefs beside) ought to entertain the same with noble & princely minds, as a thing of chief importance and necessity to be by them regarded and maintained.   

What the Protestant giveth credit unto, according to propriety of his Sect, is altogether contrary to the honour, security, office and function of a Civil Prince. Neither is it in any due respect proportionable to that expected good, which subjects are especially obliged to procure.  
CHAPTER. II.  
ARISTOTLE rightly affirmeth, Counsel to be the beguinning of action: in that a good 
Arist. 6. Ethi●. cap. 2 The perfection of the understanding necessatie to a civil life.  action of man his will proceedeth from a true resolution of mind, as being a constant, and firm endeavour, relying, on a judicious and well settled conclusion. Which Counsel in general compriseth as parts and members, perfecting the intelligent faculty of man his soul, natural prudence, human literature, and divine faith: all ionctlie concurring to the absolute accomplishment of a laudable and civil conversation. And as from hence all nations what somever stand in need of their direction, so especially those of the Northern climates, by the use of these documents 
Frudition & faith necessary for civility in Northerens parts.  may gain greatest commodity, as by their wants or impeachementes incur the more disastrous and pitiful calamity For seeing by nature's instinct, and heavens air, they be harsh and fierce, they need the more a temperature of mildness from truth, from the science and study of contemplative occupations, as being only potent in this kind, even when arms can press no farther: and therefore they are industriously and carefully to be supported by a politic prince ruling over them. Other wise these lights neglected, or by sloth and heresy extinguished, as such people, ordinarily engrossed with humours of a vast nourishment, are not by wit so acute to perceive their own conceived error of purpose and judgement, they having again returned to nature's ruder bent, more violently & bovisterously will resist such informers, 
Phil. Com. li. come. Lucan. l. 8. v.. 65.  as shall seek to reclaim them to truth. Omnes Septentrionales b●losi, sayeth Philip Earl of Coming. Northern nations are Choleric.  

Omnis in arctois populus quicunque pruinis  
Nascitur, indomitus bellis, & mortis amator.  
Quicquid ad Eoos traclus, mundique teporem  
Labitur, emollit gentes clementia coeli.  
The Northern people nipt with frosts, and hardened still with could  
Are fierce in wars, and dreadless love to die with courage bold.  
But this aganie in Eastern climes, and warmer world we find,  
That there the mildness of the air makes men more soft by kind.   
2. Whereupon Antichrist by his protestant minister endeavoureth not only to despoil 
The Protest●t an enemy of the mind.  the understanding in man of her proper splendour and intelligence through falsity, but also by barbarism to break the bond of civility, by asperous force and cruelty to corrupt nature's sweetness of amity, clemency, and good neighbourhood: 
judic. 16.  imitating the raven, which prayeth on the eye, and those barbarous Philistians, which be●eued Samson of his sight, thinking then, that the strength of God his Church will thereby either be enfeobled, or that it will imprudently adventure upon the pillar of its own ruin and calamity.  
3. We may here design too general heads, as of all heresies taught by the protestant, 
Apoc. 9 Too principles of protestancy.  so of all barbarism induced and supported by his procreinges. S. John in his divine revelations, beheld the gate or mouth of a huge pit opened by one, who, as a star, fell from heaven: from whence, with the afflictions of fraud and violence, disguised by locusts, vamped forth a great smoke of ignorance. Out of this infernal cave, opened by Luther his Apostasy, he tumblinge down as it were from the heaven of God his Church, broke out too princes of the locusts, to wit, only spirit, concerning belief, and only faith, importing justice of life: which reigning among men barbarise them with foul smoke, and hellish heresies. Seneca by and ingenious poetry fameth, Medea, to the intent of the confection of a Poison most baleful and deadly, to have gathered to that purpose as ingredientes, what simples are especially venomous about the hot shore of Aphrick, and others also found upon the cold mountain Taurus in the North: to be sure in her purposed wittcherie.  

Et tristi laeva complicans sacrum manu  
Pests rocat, quascunque feruenti create  
Arena libia, quasque perpetua nive  
Taurus coercet, fugore Arctoo rigens.  
Whilst sacrifice of direful sort  
Medea witch in jest hand held,  
For dreadful plauges of every coast  
With magi●● charm she cried and yield:  
As well from libyan shore  
In South so pa●ched wih beams of burning sun.  
As from though snowy Taur in North,  
Which men for could dee fly and shun.   
O how pestiferous elements of a doubled poison are the compounds of an only spirit, and of an only faith! what I pray you, is the protestantish sorcery of Antichrist in his fiery blasting harms of Libya, but his only spirit to sense Scriptures breaking out into so many armies of differing hostility, and fight heresies: And what is his Northern frost and cruelty of Taurus, but his only faith cooling and killing the fervour of charity, extinguishing all vitality of vertuoves' life, and industrious civility. For the present we are only now to discuss the burning & fuming scourse of his only spirit, so pernicious to man his intelligence; & after to lay open the contagion of his cold justifying 
Act. 28.  faith, & idle credulity, as a snake sticking to his hand, once cast of by S. Paul.  
4. Luther emboldened with his must of a textuarie spirit, forthwith disclaimed from 
Protestants enemies of learning.  the school, and all human literature, as in●urious and prejudicial to the spirit of a true protestant, and so to the cross of Christ. Rather than the luxurious ivy branch of Martin Luther, devoted to an idle and beasthe faith, should ascend into heaven, by the support of the oak of sound Philosophy, he chooseth that it creep serpent like, upon the ground of a base and sensual understanding and life: for that the Martin always loveth and liketh to build his nest in the dirt: as we may hear reported 
Cast. l 13. count. Hereses verb. scientia. Pra●eol●m Elen●.  of him from the pen of Alphonsus a Castro. By virtue of which doctrine Philip Melancthon, and Corolstadious, tow grand protestants, persuaded the Students of witenberge to abandon all human contemplation, to burn their books and papers of Philosophy, an to betake themselves only to meditation of the German bible. In which civil practice to give them the better example, Melancton became a Baker, and Carnostadious a suaine. just of this barbarous strain and tune were the Puritans of late in Sussex, who among other impious and seditions demands, by petition exhibited to his majesty, required of his authority; that academical studies in the universities might surcease, degrees of honour assigned for students be quite abolished, and that the book of the lord might only be among all contemplative persons in request. Fie upon barbarous pride and insolence, when such fond fools think the weather-beaten peacocks feathers, they wear in their caps, can amate nature, and make the world stoop to the busardly lure of their sensloes articles. And it seemeth that all heresies in general incline to barbarism by neglect of human literature. When the greek Church by the profane heresy of the Image breakers, stood in defiance and hostility against the Roman supremacy, even than was there in it an universal want and contempt of civil learning: schools were then shut up, Philosophy was silenced, Theology not found in Bishops and patriarchs. And in the mean season, the Emperors gave themselves wholly to play, and dispor●e, as it is recorded by Curopolates, and remarked by Card. Baron. And yet these be the men 
Baron. An Christ 859.  which reproach the whole Catholic church with ignorance and blindness in faith, in work, and religion! These burning ends, dim and dead in the socket, as flames expiring in ignorance, will cheek and control the lights of the world.  
5. No doubt but the protestant being an enemy of sound and deep Philosophy, thereby is also a stipendary soldier under the banner of Antichrist, despoiling faith of her requisite furniture for war, as well to assail the erroneous pagan, as to repulse his furious assault. Wherein as he disfurnisheth by barbarism the intellectual part of man, in show making him a mere Cyclops, that is enlightened with one sole eye of a vast and arrogant faith, in deed he depriveth him also of the eye of faith, as hath been proved against him, that hereby man blinded, and covered in darkness, like unto a ma●sterles ship, by full sail, and perfect equipage of other natural endoumentes, may dash himself in fury against the rocks of perdition.  

Cona●dit ardentes atra caligme currus.  
Iuuolu●●que orbem tenebris, Gentesque coegit  
Desperate d●em. 
Lucan.   
The gleams of Snnnie chariot bright  
In Sable clouds he buried deep:  
A mist deprived the world of light,  
And made men deem no day would peep.   
Faith, in that it is the card and directory of a civil and virtuous life in this sea of danger and casualty, ought to be of that quality, that the best spirits of any society, may prudently and judiciously think the same to be most true, and to have origen from the very mouth of almighlie God, never falsified by human inventions, never profaned through condition of time or reason of state. Which solidity is altogether wanting in the saith protestantish, if either we regard the persons, who are principal ministers in service thereof, or points of doctrine contained in the same. For what judgement is there to take faith and religion from such men's hands and mouths, who want the race and life of ordinary vocation and mission, who have no dew subordination of legacy unto almighty God, who profess a religion never visible, or recorded before Luther and Calum, and broached by them, who that they might more freely course out into liberty, forsook the Catholic Church to invent it? and so are not fit to be esteemed by us as instruments of the holy ghost, according to any prudent and intelligent examination. Moreover the improbability, yea the impiety and dishonesty of the religion protestanting, as hereafter shall be declared, denounce of themselves the cause thereof to be dishonourable in respect of any prince, or private subject, who shall embrace any faction thereon dependant.  
6. Of what weighty moment is agreement in a commonwealth, combining particular 
Not unity in the conventicles of Protestants.  forces in one corpse of power and majesty, as being evident, needeth no farther probation Whereupon passing civil is to be judged the Catholic faith, the which hath in it an unity, and that not only in regard of one sole knigdome or province, but also in reckoning of the whole Christian world. Which unity of faith dependeth on the unity of the church, as rule: and the unity of church is perfected by unity of one Monarch over all as supreme pastor. Therefore protestants refusing this unity of rule, of sovereignty in the church, retain consequently no unity of faith, but are sorted out severally according to the variable and divers blasts and fancies of every particular believer. When the pagans had once forsaken the acknowledgement of one God, betaking their allegiances, and devotions to Genial evil spirits or devils, forthwith they became divided, and banded in a notional hatred of one against the other. Yea their Gods, to patronize this their dissension, fell also to wars among themselves, & were Archipresidentes of garboils and bloody hostility every where. Diphilus as reporteth Plutarch, did writ, that it seemed to him agreeable to reason, Hercules 
Plut. in Nicia.  to have been favourable unto the Siracusans, in regard of Proserpnia, by whose aid and assistance he overcame Cerberus: and in that respect to have ●●stlie been also an enemy unto the Athenians, because they harboured the Agistians men of the Trojan ra●e, when he, Laced●m●n reigning, had overthrown Troy.  

Mulicber in Troiam, pro Troia stabat Apollo. 
ovid. li. Ttist. Eleg●a 2. Homer. Iliad. 1.   
AEqua Venus Teu●ris, Pallas iniqua suit.  
Vulcan still infested Troy, Apollo for it stood.  
Venus' Trojans grace, 'gainst Pallas ang●●e mood.   
When protestants did forsake the only one rule of faith, apparent in the dignity of the Catholic Church, than forthwith were they quartered into divers and adverse factions of false discordant Gods, to wit true Idols of sond●ie fa●●ed monstrous he●●●es. In veve of whom, the prince ●h●ll behold, whilst all is on fire, as it were upon the Libyan sands, no water to be found to moderate the fury of those angry and raging elements, wrath and prid●: ●he shall not occur with any allovable aucto●●e, to determine the controversy. In which tragedies, acted upon the stages of his Dominions, what security is there for his own person, or means for public tranquillity, unless it be his pleasure, to behold his subjects' end and die by the hand of barbarity? And although the professors of soundrie heresies disagree among themselves, nevertheless all protestants and sectarians have one common humour and genius, when they can or dare, to restranie their Prince, to command his crone and sceptre, to terrify him with false reports, by their tongues to excite his subjects to disobedience▪ to arm parliaments even with petulancy to insult against his sacred Majesty. Most true, which once uttered properly and wittily our Sowerane king james, advertising 
Basil Doron.  his eldest son▪ and in him, our noble and hopeful prince Charles, that he never descried greater pride, then that shrouded under the brood brims of a ministerial bonnet.  
7. Of what importance moreover is in faith a power of virtue, and good life for 
The faith of Protestants is not virtuous.  the use and profession of a Prince, is most veveble and manifest. In regard whereof the Christian belief hath a show even of Divinity, and so by no other sign so much as by this, is made unto us both credible, and also amiable. As concerning which effect of faith, in some part we have made already evident, that the credulity of the protestant hath no judicious probability, as being biased perpetually with the weight of concupiscence, warping and turning still to favour sin and iniquity: which thing hereafter by us more in particular shall be discovered.  
8. To conclude, that faith by a civil prince is most to be prised, as suitable to his honour 
Not P●otest●t a Catholic.  of estate, which is C●tholick, to wit general, as the worthy conquest and purchase of Christ his death and passion, received through all parts of the Christian world. That church saith S. Augustin, must we hold, as designed by the mouth of God, from 
Aug lib de●ni●●ccle● c. ●●●a 2 luc. 24 Aug E●●●t. 170 48 Cont. Donat. c. 6. 7. 8 10. 11. cont. Cres●. l 2 c. ●6.  whence it is to begin, and as far as it is to reach, that is, which is to begin from H●erusalem, and to arrive to all nations. Also the same S. Augustine condemneth as heretical such faith, as is found only in some one province, and not embraced through the world. That is Catholic saith he, which is spreed over the whole face of the earth. And hereupon he proveth the Donatists to be proud Heretics, condemning the whole world, for that their belief was not common to all nations, as the benediction of almighty God, promised, and fulfilled by the Messiah. But that this is performed by the goodness of almighty God in the faith and preachement of protestants in England 
Aug. l. 2 co●t Parmen. c. 9 l. 3. ca 3. Isa 8.  for one to think, is mere madness and wilful blindness. Than let civil and natural prudence judge, whether it be more conformable to the greatness, honour, and majesty of a prince, to participate with others in a religion general and catholic, with respect and amity from so many millions of people, from such mighty monarchs as embrace it, or rather to border his renown, dignity, friendship and alliance with the limits of protestancy, confined to a few men's mouths, entertained in lesser men's hearts, and that in some parcels only of Britons distempered monarchy.  
9 I doubt not courteons reader, but that by the perusal of this discourse thou dost clearly behold, in what sort and fashion the protestant, set one work and task by Antichr●ste, endeavoureth to destroy the Christian faith, applinge battery to the very substance and centre thereof. The which wickedness by so much the more perilously is put in practice, by how much in coverture of a religion and godly pretence it lieth in ambush more secretly, and breakethforth under greater shoe of a reforming piety more holily. None so much in Rome wasted the public treasure, as those, who talked most of it, and pretended the surer preservation of the same from dilapidation and robbery, as witnesseth Cice●o In like form of stratagem and plot, the protestant▪ 
Cic. act. 1. in Ve●●em. The end of protestancy.  who vaunteth of nothing more than of his refined faith, anouching the virtue thereof even with inspitation of grace, and honesty of heaven and earth, thereby in fact di●bouelleth faith, and resolveth all vital spirits thereof into a fume of a selfepleasing fancy, and fantastical persuasion. For whereas too things especially stand in opposition against the discipline of our sacred faith, to wit, pride of understanding loath to 
2. Cor. 10.  yield assent and credit unto the sublime objects of the same as it were daseleing he: eyes, and traversing her ordinary course of contemplation, and also fervent lust after pleasures, peremptorily forbidden by faith; The protestant divers ways contemning the authority of the Catholic Church, thereby giveth advantage to the rebellious hauture of intelligence, and also to the dissolute reach and rains of concupilcence. Whereby Antichrist doth foremind and intend, by seruantrie of the protestant, to effect towe things, to the great loss and damage of man kind: The one impious idolatry, the other barbarous ferocity: both worthy emprises sure of so deadly an enemy of jesus Christ. For in that every believer by the protestantish Theology is remitted unto is own private spirit, as supreme judge and sindick in matter of faith, the very definition of faith is violated, and to a spirit, various and diverse, to a spitit enhanced with ambition, perplexed with doubts, disformished both of literatur, school and obedience, are recommended all high mysteries thereof. Whereon ensueth first, uncertanitie in the believer, than difference betwixt him and others▪ after heat of disputing and censuring in controversy, lastly for the upshot, by the dart of Antichrist, falling upon the eye of a protestant, adieu is given to all faith and belief. And for that man cannot long be without some acknowledgement of divine power and majesty, thereupon in the self same place of the soul, where once bore sway so many spiritual idols of heresy, there will reign and command after as may material idols of paganrie. And without all doubt, Antichrist by every heresy endeavoureth to recall 
Athanas. orat. count. Idol.  men to that old idolatry and barbarism, from which the harp of our Saviour Christ his cross by sweet music reduced us to the enclosure of his Catholic Church.   

In the virtue of hope all strength and fortitude of Christian life is comprised: by force whereof, as man accomplisheth his office and duty, so also thereby he attaineth to the final end of his creation and being.  
CHAPTER. III.  
HOPE, the firm anchor of our endeavours, hath the primary occasion and urgent 
Hope is the strength of the Soul.  necessity of its proper use from a certain quality of actions to be by us performed, compared unto the estate and condition of our own nature and ability, related to that end, to which we are ordained. For seeing that the objects of our hope 
S. Thom. 2. 2 q. ●●. ar. 4. Rom. 8.  are toofolde, to wit eternal beatitude, & likewise fit means in this life appointed by Almighty God in his sacred word to achieve the same (which in regard of our fra●ltie, weakness, and frequent hazard through temptations, are liable to loss & miscarriage in that environed, or invested rather with a huge number of difficulties, and dangerous greatness of attempt) thereupon is necessarily required in us the firm stability of divine hope & a decreed purpose of will thereby still to persist in the effectuating of our calling and profession, whatsomever impediments either from violence of a persecuutor, or from fraudulent enchantementes of an alluring temptor, shall occurie and cross us in our procedings. In reckoning whereof Philosophers place the virtue of hope in the will of man, as Irascible: that is in the will, as it hath in charge, to adventure upon difficulties, 
S Thom 1. 2. q. 60. art 5 2. 2. q. 12. at. ● ad ● The seat of Hope in the Soul. Hebr. 6.  to give them generously the repulse, when they press upon us, either to affright us by some terrible representation, or to drive us back by any forcible importunity. Whereupon the Apostle S. Paul speaking of hope, which pierceth Ad inter●ora relamin●●, to things contained within the courtaine of heavens conceilm●nt, that is to the crown of glory, now beheld of us through the veiling mystical shadow of faith, sayeth, But hope confoundeth not. That is, hope as sure repose and fortitude of a Christian man, will shield him from confusion, whereof he is in jeopardy by reason of difficulty implied in such affairs, as concern his office and function: and who in this life is to strive and fight in an Agony of a doubtful and dangerous battle, as speaketh the same Apostle. Of which vigilant and industrious labour of Christian hope in time of 
1. Cor. 9  pressure, this holy Apostle advertiseth the Hebrews: We desire that every one of you show the same solicitude of the fulfilling of hope, even unto the end: that you do not become 
Hebr. 6.  slothful, but imitators of those, who by faith and patience have inherited the promises Where the Apostle still talketh of hope as of a Christian virtue employed in works of difficulty, of stoughtnes, courage and resolution, and therefore he calleth it the anchor 
Clemens Alexand l. ●. pedagogi Prud. in psych.  of our lives, we sailing in the tempestuous sea of this our perilous journey and passage▪ whereupon Clemens of Alexandria very propeilie tearineth hope the blood of faith, as it were the active and valerouse spirit thereof.  

Cunctanti spes sida comes succurrit, & offered  
Vitorem gladium, laudisque inspirat amorem.  
When dread makes droop, then hope sweet comfort gives,  
Revenging sword, and love of praise that ever lives.   
Which virtue of hope the Chaldeans deemed so connatural unto man, that they called 
Philo lib. de Abrahamo.  him ●nos, as if according to Philo, he only were a man, who expecteth good things, and sustaineth himself with good hope.  
2 And for that hope reareth up a man his will by a virtue Theological, elevating 
Hope a virtue Theological.  his desire and spirit of resolution even unto Almighty God, as our last end, as chief author of good; and referreth us to other his creatures, whether of nature, or grace, in as much, as they have respect of subordination unto his divine majesty, being his instuments and our commodities; Therefore in the object of hope, we may both consider that which is material, and manifold: and that also which is formal, and only one indivisiblie. The principal material part of hopes object is Almighty God himself 
The object of Hope.  as our beatitude consisting in the clear vision of his Divine substance, whereby we are to possess intellectually his splendour and infinity. Than in this rank succeed secondarily all such gifts of him, by creation and redemption bestowed upon us which serve for the obtaining of this our last happiness and desired beatitude. But that which in the whole latitude of the material object of hope is formal, and as it were the very soul and life of each part in several, is the powerful and merciful goodness of Almighty God; in veve and source whereof we hope, as of the principal agent, to obtain whatsoever we here by the same constantly expect. By which formality in the 
Christian excellency through hop.  object of our Christian hope doth appear the singular eminency of our estate and condition. For whereas many have raised up the jacobs' ladders of their hopes to no higher a pitch, then unto the stars, or fatality of all events in them engraved: or else to the 
Stoics prestumed on nature's ability. Ipse in se spen posu●● Aug l. de ●picu● & St●●● cap. 7.  Gr●ij or devils, Princes of the misty air, as directors and masters of their actions, we Christians elevate our hope even unto the finger of Almighty God, even unto the connatural bounty flowing in the Ocean of his own divine heart and affection, to the spirit of his sacred mouth, in which we alodge our desires, on which we fix our eyes, in whom we securely anchor and acquit as in a perfect immovable centar, the circuit of our travails, of all our endeavours: The scripture showeth unto us from whom we are to expect things we pray for, saith S. Augustin: that is, not from fortune, or ●ate, or from any 
Au● lib. 2. de p●●cato● merit cap. 6.  other besides Almighty God. Whereby in our contemplations and motions we are not beaten baeke from Almighty God by the forms of nature, as by the aspect of the firmament, elements, or other her wonders, as befell the Pagans', but by both a●iue unto him immediately, never cessing until we found out this high rock, period and efficacy 
A divine hop proveth a divine faith.  of all our Christian reliance. Whereupon may be gathered a notable argument in proof of truth in our Christian faith. For seeing hope receiveth rule, both for object of her trust and assurance, and also for manner of process in her affairs, from faith, in that this faith bringeth and reduceth man unto Almighty God, who is our end, as he was our beginning, therefore by force of the same consequently we as attendant servants continually wait on the effect of his goodness and benevolence. Which carriage of man towards his Creator▪ as it doth well beseem him, being his best and highest desired perfection imaginable, so likewise d● th●t argue and prove some divine verity contained in our Christian belief; which worketh in us a hope so heavenly and soverane. So then as they Pagans' stra●ed from truth in their divers faiths, or 
The origen of Idolatry.  Theology, so also did this their error falsify and delude the employments of their confidences For whereas Almighty God proposed a view and spectacle of his creatures unto them, thereby as by messengers endeavouring to reelame them unto himself, they treacherously considering the greatness, the furniture and benefit of his vassals, stayed in them all their dutiful service, proclaimed them their Gods and Princes: and and so respectivelie their hopes once abridged by their knowledge, arrived no further, 
Prudent li. 1. count Symach.  then unto a forged, and treasonable divinity. Contrariwise we Christians, illuminated by faith, contemplate the creatures of Almighty God, admire their forms, order a●d ●orces, but yet passing by them, as footsteps, or images of one sole omnipotent God and Lord, in him alone acknowledge we all supremacy of commandry: and with a correspondence, our hope answering unto the reach of faith, we live & breath 
Math. 15.  thereby in a continual dependency and expectation of gifts and crumbs, that are to fall from his table for nourishment of us his poor devout suppliants and servants: 
The origen of hope belief in God his providence. Am●r lib de Philosophia Aug. li. co●t. julian cap. 6.  in so much that the rock, which holdeth fast the beard of the anchor of our hope, is no meaner thing, than God himself.  
3. This strength then of our Christian hope is founded upon the belief we have of the providence of almighty God: as that we believe he hath immediately created all things of nothing, and immediately frameth our bodies, not committing the fabrik of them to petty Gods, as Plato devised according to S. Ambrose: that immediately he concu●reth with the action of every creature, even to the fall of a leaf from the tree, of a hair from the head: that immediately he conserveth in being whatsomever is existent: that immediately he beholdeth all things, yea all secrets of men's hearts and couched motions in their souls: that he immediately worketh all good cogitations in us, all virtuous incitementes according to the deep counsel of his sacred will 
Ephes. 1.  and pleasure. and heropon we acknowledging by faith our most near and close dependence we have on his sacred hand, not waiting upon the 〈◊〉 or spirits of Plato, nor relying on the pretended authors or beginners, one good, the other bad, of all 
Plut. l. de 〈◊〉. & O●●t. Se●ec. l. 2. Nat. quest. ca 37. 35 Epist. 90. 91 Aug ●. ●. count. Man●c●. jaco. 1.  things, with they Grecians, as reporteth plutarch, and the Manichees according to S. Augustin not regarding the Empire of nature's fatality, by hopes expectation we cast ourselves securely on the merciful disposition of almighty God his comaunding providence. If any of you meed wisdom, saith S. james, let him ask it of God, who giveth to every on abundantly, and doth it witthout reproach, and he shall givest him. Every good gu●●●e, and everse perfect benefit, is from above, descending from the father of lights. So that although our hope be extended to sundry creatures of almighty God, as our means, set down by himself, yet it settleth not in them alone and finally, but moun●eth up to her formal and original cause, the bounty and goodness of almighty God. It was a worthy saying of Octavianus, as recordeth Minu●ius Felix, we do not only li●e in the 
Minutius foelix in octanian.  eyes of almigb God, but also in his very bosom. This eye regarded by us, may move us to fear if we offend, and the bosom encourage us to hope, if we be distressed.  
4. Whereby we make a difference betwixt historical verities, recorded in holy 
The amiable reliance of Hope upon Almighty God.  scriptures, as objects of our faith; and others of ethnicail narrations: in that sacred histories do not only recount the greatness or admirable stratagems of the event, as did those recording the affairs of the Romans, Grecians, Egyptians, Assitians, but especially we remarck in them specified mention of such facts and accidents as depend on the especiali providence of Almighty God, which reduce continually unto him the readers mind by consideration and affection; as is well remarked by Lessius. So also 
Lessius l. ●. de provid. Dei Num. 159.  in reckoning of our hop, we fasten our selves to almighty God, not by means only of any distant and ministerial links, as by the heavens, the elements, by connexion of natural causes, as Seneca seemeth alone to acknowleg, but most immediately 
Senec. lib. de Prud. lib. 3. de Benefic. c. 7 l. 2. Nat. quest. c. 37. Act. 17.  altogether do we unite ourselves unto him, believing, that by his proper work and action we live, are subsistent, we nove, are employed in operation: and moreover that sometimes in our principal endeavours. we travail in virtue of his gracious gift and, benevolence. Which decreed reliance of our hope upon almighty God, as it doth more often bring him into our cogitations, so it doth likewise regard him with an affection more amiable: according to the quality of a little child practising to go: who looketh regardefullie upon the nurses hand, as support: and knowing that without the same it should fall, doth behold the same as more necessary and benefical. Our christian hope in this respect is so great, that almighty God taketh it, as it were unkindly, if we his children and chickens perplex ourselves with to much fear and anguish about temporal and ordinary events: persuading us rather by a resolution 
Christi● hope is a help against to much worldly care.  void of solicitude to cast ourselves upon his holy and bountiful provindence: and fully to think, that he who couloreth the lily in the field so freshly, seedeth the bird of the air aboundautly without their carking industry, will also provide for us such commodities, as are requisite, without our distrustful and painful vigilancy. And as the members of man his body day and night increase without his knowledge, so almighty 
Math. 6. Luc. 12. S Thom. 2. ●. q. 55. ar. 2.  God bestoweth many graces on him without means of his troublesome consultation, or fore casting devise. In which repose of our hope, and quiet dependency thereby on almighty God, we Christians, as saith our Saviour, surpass all other people, whilst we resting in quiet expectation, Gentills are turmoiled in pursuit after their worldly commodities: The nation of the world seek after all those things. 
Luc. 1●.   
5. According therefore to the precedent doctrine, thus may the virtue Hope be 
Description of Hope.  defined Hope is a certain expectation of beatitude, to be achieved by the grace of almighty God, and the virtuous cooperation of man therewith. Hope is said a certain expectation, for ●hat in some proportion it answereth unto the formal part of its object, that is the main and affluent bounty in the goodness of almighty God: in which to conceive by diffidence want or scarcity of assistance or benefit, were an heinous injury against that, which is most conspicuous in the divine nature, to wit, the liberality and mercy thereof. Which certainty of hope in the will by a kind of Analogy accordeth with 
Certainty of hope and saith.  that proper & peculiar certainty found in the act of faith: in this respect, that as the will resolveth, and undoubtedly relieth on the goodness of almighty God without distrust, so faith in veve of this truth assuredly believeth all his revealed verities without suspicion of the contrary. But how this same virtue of Hope is an expectation of the will, as Irascible, we shall better understand, if preamble wise we hear the Angelical 
S Thom. in 2. d. 26. q 2. ●. 2.  Doctor distinguishing three sorts of expectations. The first than is the expectation of patience, when we look for help from almighty God, being otherwise in danger. The second is an expectation of long animity, when we attend aid from God almighty, remaining yet in anguish and distress of labour, employed busily about some ob●ect of extreme difficulty or other. The third is an expectation of hope, occupied in a firm confidence to obtain our last end by means appointed by divine constitution. And for that faith, agreeing with philosophy, informeth us, that man enabled with the use of reason, and appetite, is not to arrive without their functions and industry, to his final beatitude, therefore in the definition of hope, to the divine benevolence of grace, is adjoined man his one proper endeavour in virtue: that is in such works, as are conformable to understanding, and from thence have bond and obligation of their duties and performances.  
6. Hereby also entereth in, as most considerable, a singular property and eminency 
Differ●ce betwixt Christian hope and expectation of the pagan. Scotus in prolog paragraph. ad Confirmat. Arist 8 phis. 12. metaphies. C●ril Catech. 8. Minute Fel. in Octa. Aug. ●●. r. Confess. Cap. 8. Euseb. lib. 1. Praepar. cap. 5. Senec. lib. 3. de Benef. cap 7. Nature altered by Grace.  of our Christian hope, to approve the rare and divine quality thereof, as likewise of our holy faith, directing our hope to means and strength so height and admirable. For whearas the ancient philosophers relied no farther on the fatherly aid of almighty God, then that which might acreve unto their weakness from nature, from fatality and destiny thereof, involved within the volumes either of heavenly bodies, or of the elements, and shut up in such parts of the world, as be connected and linked up together by the hand of almighty God, for that influence, they were to bestow on mankind, we amounted up to a particular favour of his goodness, by the assurance of our hope, do not repose in him only as author and giver of nature, or agent thereby as instrument, but as a supernatural benefactor by grace, not dew to nature, either as part thereof, or propriety thence ensuing; it being a free dispense of him alone proceeding from his own extraordinary and voluntary bounty of merciful benevolence towards us his devoted children: as when he without our desert illuminateth our understanding with a certain knowledge of that beauty and comelenes which are to be found in virtue, and also of that deformity discriable in vice: when he thereby calleth and provoketh us to the one, and deterreth and disuadeth us from the other. Also as concerning nature itself (that we may see, that he hath not wholly bound up his providence by fatality, and destiny in the sole bovels of his own creatures for the menagement of our affairs) he altereth by grace and miracle sometimes the certain course of the same, thus or thus disposing of the quality of the air and elements, in this or that manner diverting pestiferous causes assembled for infection and mortality 
Aug. Tract. ●4. in johan. 7.  of mankind. And that the entiere providence of Almighty God is not committed to the administration of bore nature, as if he were no otherwise to deal with man in his providence, then by course of the same▪ infinite miracles & alterat on's of nature, registered 
Plut li. de eyes qui sero a num puniuntur. de orac. Pith Claud l. 1. Valeria li de siquiss. Alexus Alex. l 11 c. 13. Sueton in Caspar senec. lib 4 Natural. quest. c 1. B●●on. Tom 9 pag. 345. C●●ud. Paneg. honour.  even by ethnic philosophers and Historiographers do contest. Apollodorus, as reporteth Plutarch, beheld in sleep a l●le before his destruction by the S●●thians himself environed by that savage people, disbovelled and murdered by their hands as it after fell out. Sue●onius recounteth, that there was a prophesy of Ius●us Caesar his destruction: that is, that one of Iuliu● his race should by men of his own blo●d perish with great calamity of all Ial●e, when the bones of dead Capis should be discovered. At what season Egipte received it bane from the luxurious and wasteful gouer●●em●n● of Antony and Cleopatra, a little before, as mentioneth Seneca, Nilus did no● overfloe the soil according to custom. Theophanes, as we may read in Card. Baron. relateth, that in Constantinople was found in a sepulchre of marble, a corpse bearing this inscription: Christ shall be borne of the virgin Marie. I believe in him. Under Constantine and Irene, oh sone, thou shalt beholdeme. Sed crine minaci  

Nuntiat aut ratibus ventos, aut v●bibus hosts,  
Et terr●s mutant●m regna cometem. 
Although Cl●ristiā hope depend on Scriptures, on Sacraments, a P. stots, and Sa●●tes, yet in them it doth not ende● but ari 〈…〉 a'the unto the goodness of Almighty God August Tract 1. in joan c. 1 The value of g●ace The worth of grace.   
The ireful star●e to ships a storm, or citise wrack doth show;  
And comets blaze of kingdoms change make men to know.   
Thus instructed we look upon almighty God by out christian expectation of hope, not only as immediate and primary cause of all good in us, or as a contriver of the same merely by instruments of nature ordinarily proceeding, but as immediate giver of grace added unto nature, bountefully and lovingly, by a peculiar so●te of his nearest provicence, and gracious favour, afforded us: and so we depend on him, and are recollected unto h●m, as to our dearest parent and tutor, our most sovereign helper and fashioner of all our thoughts and actions.  
7. Wherefore, as we rightly consider by our faith the value and worth of grace, hopes support, so thereby are we more enamoured with the paternal care of almighty God towards us his children & servants. Two things especially recommend unto us the worth and weight of grace. The first is, for that this grace is not nature's effect, or a flower originally groing in her garden, but a quality poorly supernatural, as the dew of heaven, and a ievell, reserved in the sole treasure house of God almighty his voluntary bounty. Than is to be considered the cause meritorious of this grace: to wit, the precious purchase of the same by the death and passion of the second person in Trinity. And can grace then be of any mean poise and esteem, having of spring 
August Serm. 236. de Temp.  from such a pay? can it be of a vulgar or small moment, for which was disbused so rare and inestimable a ransom? y● David in his hot burning ague judged a little water, brought him b● adventure of some men's lives from a Cistern in Bethlem, holy, and so 
● Reg. 2●.  not to be drunk by him, as being price of the bringers blood, but rather esteemed it worthy to be consecrated unto almighty God, what aught we to think of the beauty and value of heavenly grace, bought for us by the divine blood of our Redeemer jesus God and man? And as hereby we balance out worthily the dignity of Christian grace, so also know we what is the greatness and noble quality of virtue, being fruit and effect of this sacred heavenly gift Therefore Heretics, Protestars, who avile virtuous labours with reproach of mortal sine, undoubtedly do not value as they aught to do either Christian grace, or the fountain thereof, to wit our Redeemer hanging on the Cross, there making the atchevement of the same.  
8. This grace then expected by hope is sorted into divers kinds, according to 
Graces deviued into certain kinds.  multiplicity of effects thence proceeding. It is then to be noted, that by a general name of grace may be called as gracious any free gift of almighty God, available as cause or condi●ion to our eternal salvation: as that a man for example is of a disposition pliable 
what is grace in general. external grace acknoledged by P●lagius Aug. li. 1. de Grat Christi c. 2. & 4. l de Haetesibus.  to discipline and direction: that he hath parents careful of his good deportment in his nonage: That he liveth in such a place, or time, where, and when is frequent commodity of well doing, of plotsormes provoking and directing to laudable endeavours. Yet notwithstanding, it is not sufficient that a natural accident be styled by the title of grace, because use is made absolutely thereof in regard of attaining to heavenly glisse; for often times Almghtie God by his grace worketh even out of sins in offenders themselves great benefit of virtue, as of humility, of repentance: yet in this respect sins, although by accident profitable to the offendant, are not to be reputed graces of Almighty Gad, or impressions of his favourable predestination; because they are not directly of set counsel intended or effected by divine providence to that 
Aug l de Corr●pt & Grat. c 9 Humiliores redeunt atq. doctiores Bern. ●er. 25 in Ca●tica. what is grace in particular Habitual grace.  purpose, but only occasionally permitted according to a natural law in the delinquenres will, requiring such permission of God, as of the chief and primary cause. wherefore here more properly by Christian grace we mean that frank benevolence of the divine goodness, which doth accreve to nature as accessary furniture and accomplisment thereof, not produced by force of natural causes, but merely given by divine benevolence. The first and capital division of grace, as into general members, is into grace Habitual, and grace Actual. By grace habitual are understood all supernatural habits and qualities perfecting the faculties of man his soul permanently, when no operation is present; as the divine habits of Faith, Hope, Charity, also inherent justice, sanctifying and purifying the same from sin: the Holy Ghost by it dwelling, 
Conc. Trid. Sess. 2. c. 7.  and abiding therein. Also of this propriety may be thought to be the habits of moral virtues, in as much as concomitants of Christian habitual justice, together with it infused in the moment of justification. In order of grace active, there is first a 
Actual grace.  grace of prevention: to w●t a holy inspired illustration of soul, inciting and calling us to good. Than there is an other termed grace of Cooperation, working conjoinctly with man his will a virtuous consent and good action of the same. Moreover there is a grace which may be reckoned grace of sit Opportunity, when to man outwardly are tendered diverse meet occasions of virtuous employments, to which have correspondence the inward persuasions and illuminations imparted by heavenly favour. Lastly there is a grace of Perseverance, sheelding a justified man against temptations, preserving in him that precious jewel of grace justifying and sanctifying his soul: of all which graces we shall have occasion hereafter severally to discourse.   

Christian hope waiteth in attendance upon that grace of Almighty God according to instruction from faith, which in number of virtuous works is most fruitful, and in their eminency high and sovereign.  
CHAPTER. FOUR  
AS concerning the office of duty and action apertaining to a Christian, philosophy 
Man ordained by nature to operation.  layeth a foundation for faith to build on her perfection, and prepareth the way, by which her documents, declining from error, may have free passage to truth and verity Natural knowledge than beholdeth man created by Almighty God, not as a dead mass, or heavy bulk as it were of a ship, destitute of tacling & equipage, lying upon one side groveling on the sands of the sea shore: but rather a substance of life, by sundry faculties, both of body and soul enabled to the performance of many endeavours, and that with more serious and quick occupation, in regard that his 
Gen. ●.  soul is an active spirit, resembling thereby the eternal and everworking fiery spirit of Almighty God. Thus when philosophy hath gathered a generality of ordinance in 
joan. 5.  man to operation, it after cometh near unto his nature, and deciphereth forth in speciality what form of endeavour properly belongeth unto him. Of which matter Aristotle inquiring, considereth in man too kinds of faculties: some he reckoneth peculiar to him by kind, as reason and will, others as his sensitive appetite of carnal pleasure, his power to increase, nourish and engender, common to him with brute, and 
What faculties in man contrive his perfection.  only vegetative creatures. Whereupon he concludeth, that man doth accomplish his chiefest charge, assigned him by nature, by no other faculty in him, than such as is his owen by specifical and differential peculiarity, as by his will and reason, by which he excelleth plants, and brute beasts. There remaineth then for man a certain life, 
Arist. l. ●. Ethi c. 7. Greg Naz. ora de Christ. Natiu.  fit for action, proper to that agent, who is endowed with reason. And as reason in man discrieth that sort of action, which is agreeable to his estate, and maketh acceptance and choice proportionably of objects thereunto belonging, so doth the same reas●n disprove and reject such base employmentes of sensuality, & also such objects of them, which are not suitable to its eminent degree of employment. Hereupon Ovid doth ingeniously and Philosophically same the civil and learned Minerva to have cast away a pipe borrowed of Pann, when piping therewith over the crystal streams of her natural contemplation, she beheld the deformity of inflation in her puffed cheeks.  

Vox placuit, fac●em liqu●des re●erentibus v●dis,  
Vidit virgineas intumuissegenas. 
The enemies of Hope are pleasure and fear. Aug in ps 7●. Arist. 1. Ethic. c. 3. Christian faith is a spirit of work Basil. serm. de virtut. & vicio 1 calleth a Christian life, a life of work, and exercise. Christian faith is a spirit of good works▪ that is a spirit of Charity delight fully observing the la. Aug. 〈◊〉 ● de Grat. Christ c. 13. Lex ●nim auditores justitiae facit, grati● factores. Aug lib 3 count 2 epist. Pelag. cap. 2.   
Arsmih● non tanta est, valeasmea tibia, dixit,  
Exc●pit abiectam cesp●ter●pasua.  
The sound did please, but water clear did show her face  
To have been swollen in shape not fit for virgin's grace.  
Farewell my pipe she ●●●d, thy art● is not so dear to me.  
Let bank on tother side, not Pallas hand, be place for the.   
Our hope therefore is a courageous industry employed continually about actions of virtue. And the adverse forces, to which hope giveth continual resistance, come either from pleasure alluring to undecent and unlawful delight, or else from fear, deterring us from our purpose of intended honesty, as is excellently well declared by Aristotle, and also by S. Augustin.  
2. To these documents, suggested by philosophy, our divine faith, which is a spirit of work, and operation, having access, doth aver unto us more effectually ●s well our debt of perpetual labour in good endeavours, as also the high degree of their conditions and perfections: so that accordingly christians, by quality of their profession, before any other sort of people, are to be studious and operative in the activity of all virtuous deeds: yea and are of that profession likewise in respect of a sublime & heroical pitch of them by noble enterprises: whereby they aught to surmonunt the residue, as very well S. Basil doth teach. If the faith of the old Testament, lapped up in m●steries of obscure types and signs, taking by the perspective pipe of the law a long imperfect prospect of the sequel and train of the ensuing promises, purported in the Gospel, brought forth a hope in men, living under so rude an institution, most busily employed in good works of all the virtues, how much more is it now the proper instinct of our christian faith, regarding her object displayed in light of the time of grace, performed in act, expressed by the life, death & passion of the son of God, to make us agile, lively and ready priest to all commendable occupations of probity, & that in the most excellent kind of service of Almighty God whereupon the holy scriptures oftentimes pronounce, charity, by acts of diverse virtues fulfilling the law, to be the end, 
Rom. 12. 1. Cor 8. 1. joan. 2.  form and life of faith; and that faith serveth to charity, moving a man thereunto, as to his chief office and perfection. By faith Almighty God reconsileth us, some time alienated from him by evil works, that thereby he might make us, Holy, immaculate, & 
Colos 1. 2. Thessaly 3. Fet. 2. ca 1.  blameless before himself. As you have received jesus Christ, so walk you in him This is the will of Almighty God, your sanctification. He hath chosen us in himself before the constitution of the world, to the end we may he holy in his sight, in charity. And of what efficacy is our holy Christian faith and hope to work in this sort, thus declareth S. Augustin. That man might keep the commanndementes, God worketh in man by faith of jesus Christ: who is the end 
Aug l de spir. & l●t. cap ●9. Serm de Paschate fer●a 4.  unto instile to all, that believe in him. Where S. Augustin maketh reckoning of the spirit of faith, as of a quickening spirit, provokeing us to the endeavours of virtues. From which spirit of action in faith, is derived unto hope also a spirit not of a sluggish or Epicurian repose in the goodness of our Lord God, but rather of labour, of vigilancy, solicitude & 
Eccles. 5. 16.  continual employment in the works of the law & counsels. Say not the mercy of our Lord is great, he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins. For mercy and wrath quickly approach from God, and his wrath looketh upon sinners. To which purpose the ancient Romans made in deed supplication to their Gods for increase of fruits of the earth; but whilst with one hand they held the plough: their soldiers sacrificed to Mars: but in that time wherein they armed themselves. hereupon S Bernard learnedly calleth virtuous 
Bern. serm 2. de Resur. August. Tract. 9 in joan c. 2.  work the life of faith. The life of the body is the soul, by which it is moved, and hath sense. But the life of faith is charity, because by the same it worketh, as we read in the Apostle, Faith which worketh by Charity. Whereby we may understand, of what faith entreateth the Apostle S. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, attributing justification unto it: to wit 
Gal. 5. jacob. 2.  of an active faith provoking a believer to all good and sainctly demeanour. Which activity if it be hindered by mortal sin, contrary to charity according to S. james, faith is said to be dead, as devoid of the breath and motion of Christian life & justice. Faith 
Faith is a Spirit containing 〈◊〉 Charity.  than first out of it proper activity produceth charity; then Charity once extant setteth faith a work by commaundrie in the affairs of all the virtues prescribed in the law: so that there is one activity intrinsical to the spirit of faith, an other extrinsical imparted unto it by charity, the fruit or flower strangely nourishing the root. Here for the present we discuss only the inward and essential virtue and power of the Christian faith for the performance of virtuous endeavours, respected by hope, as means of sanctification, justification, and salvation.  
3. Of which matter the sacred Counsel of Trent entreating determineth & maketh 
Conc. Trid. sess 6. c. 6. How faith worketh a disposition to the grace of justification. August Tract. 40. in joan c. 8.  remonstrance, how faith inciteth a person offendant to all such virtuous preparements, as are required to his perfect justification, & remission of his sins: as whilst it first layeth open unto him his bad estate through sin, obnoxious to the justice of God his tribunal seat: & thereby upon such veve causeth him to fear & tremble. Afterward the same faith in him considering the malicious turpitude of offence, as enmity even against God himself, provoketh the delinquent to repentance, to hate and detest his offences. Also discovering unto him Almighty God as fountain of all goodness, it enkindeleth in him the fiere of Charity, of love & affection towards his divine majesty. Lastly wayinge the many fold dangers of days and times which ensue, and the great obligation man hath no more to trespass against divine commandment, he conceiveth by virtue of faith a full purpose in the whole course of his life to carry himself warily, to eschew vigilantly all occasions of iniquity, to be busily occupied in the observance of all commendable offices. By which sundry dispositions, contrived by faith, man repentant being once justified, in him faith slumbereth not, or is reckless, but entertaineth all occasions, layeth hold on every divine inspiration, availinge to merit, to virtue, and laudable endeavour Whereupon hope is not convoied merely by faith to the mercies of almighty God, which are annected to his promises, but also to these virtues, which are effects of his grace & observations of his commandements, as means to attain to 
〈◊〉 ●●. S Thom 2. 2 q 4. 〈◊〉 in corp.  ou● final end of sanctity & beatitude. According to which sense the Angelical Doctor understandeth the Apostle S. Paul, when he defineth faith to be the substance of things hoped for: because it is the first incboation of them in us by assent of mind: the which in a certain capital sum containeth in it all things hoped for. 
Faith hath tow effects knowledge and work.   
4 For the holy scriptures give us to understand, that this our Christian faith is as it were eminently in simplicity of one quality, the beam of the son, lightening by intelligence, and also the fervour thereof heating by activity of operation. When the Apostle S Paul had notified to the world the time & estate of it living in faith, forthwith he maketh this inference: Behold, now is the time acceptable: behold now the day of 
2 Cor. 6.  Salvation: to no man giving any offence, that our ministry be not blamed: but in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulations, in necessity's, in distresses, in Stripes, in prisons, in ●editions, 〈◊〉 labours, in watchings, in fastings, in Chastity, in knouledg, in longanimity, in sweetness, in the holy 〈◊〉, in charity not feigned, in the ●ord of truth, in the virtue of God, by the armour of justice on the right hand, and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by in●am●e and good same, as seducers, and ●●ew, as they, that are unknown, and known, as dying, and behold weli●e: as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful, but always reioyceinge, as needy, but enrichinge many: as ha●●ing nothing, and possessing allthinges. Regard here a Christian described in complete harness, his spirit of faith exercised as it were of a busy be, of a fight soldier we must not then with a slothful confidence look only upon Christ his mercy and grace, as in the beginning 
Pet. 3.  of the world did all mankind vnprofitable●e except a ●ew gaze upon the ark of God his goodness, in the mean season as reporteth S. Peter, giving themselves over to roiot 
Gen. 1. Tertul lib. de Baptism. Optat lib. 4. Baptism a type of God life. Christians ●●e o●te of sinful Egypt, and also enter into the pure water of the read Sea. Augustin. de Fid. &. o. Cap. 11.  of bancquets & good cheer, and so worthily were enfolden in the universal waves of the deluge: Not more must we for the present hearken unto the protestantish Antichrist, who teacheth us, that for the performance of our Saving duty towards God, to be sufficient, that our spirit of faith behold Christ his mercy redeeming us, jest that the flood of his justice rather surprise us in our reckless security▪ we are rather to call to mind our lifegevinge water of Baptism, an element of fruit and increase, where in first we became Christians, & from which, as spiritual fishes, and birds of the a●er we received the prime spirit of vitality: and then we shall ●ee, that element is not only a substance of representation, serving for faith, or contemplation, but also to be a moisture, convenient for purity, for grought of increase, of rising upward, in reckoning of our active virtuous life very aptly purtraicted forth thereby.  
5 But nothing doth so effertually prove the excellency of Christian life in work and virtue aimed at by hope, as the person of our Redeemer jesus Christ, his sacred merits and deserts. Hereby do we Christians understand the great nobility of our task and voration, from hence, as situated upon a mountain of perfection near to the Angels 
Our Saviour Christ an ●xampl●● unto us of virtuous action Math 5.  in heaven, do we behold under us as groveling all infidels, Turks, and jeves in regard of our devoted industry consecrated to supreme sanctity, to integrity of function and endeavour, aruinge even unto a most perfect imitation of almighty God. By the measure then and sum of expenses, disbursed by the bounty of our lord God, we may conceive the expected and intended degree of his purchase in man kind. Therefore first, we are to consider that admirable descent and humilialion of the second person in Trinity, by the mystery of the holy Incarnation being made man. O what differency of estate betwixt the deity enthronised in the bosom of the eternal father, and the humble condition of that nature, to which it is personally united, taken from the womb of the blessed virgin Marie! why slouped God so low, but to exalt us to the imitation of his father by virtue & heavenly life? why did this Eagle by Precedent of himself give us a pattern of slight, but that we might be elevated ●●th him both in contemplation of truth, and also affection of justice, and honesty: why lured he us by his humanity, as huny comb of mankind, as our delight of body and soul, but that by eminency of action we might resen●ble himself, and live in sequestration with him from all gross and worldly carnality: that we, his church and mystical body, might be joined unto him as head above, in work glorious, and in perfection of faith and 
Ephes. 5. 〈◊〉 ●2.  charity devoid of spot and wrinkle, as speaketh the Apostle? if the singer of almighty God, appearing to the jeves in the characters of the law engrau●din stone, was a great motive unto them to follow virtue, & excel all other nations in profession thereof, of 
Colles 2.  what efficacy to the same end aught to be unto us Christians the very substance of the divinity corporally manifested in the humanity of Christ, as the tables of the Gospel, 
Gen. 28.  the thurible of love and Charity! Here is tendered unto us a lacobs la●der, by which Angels descend, as to a nature human, inferior to their sublimity: they also ascend, adoring in our idea and table of good life, the divinity thereof, as their superior lord and maker. What then remaineth for us Christians, but by this ladder, both in number of virtuous endeavours, and also in prerogative of their nobility, to scale heaven, and 
Amos 7.  atcheve eternal glory? This our Redeemer was beheld by Amos the prophet, standing upon an adamantine wall, and holding an adamant in his hand in token of his forcible empire. The wall of Adamant signifieth the unexpugnable strength of virtue in his 
Christote hom. de virtute  Church: the adamant in his hand declared the mighty power of grace he had to draw the rude and sturdy iron of this world to the service of almighty God by sweet Charity & busy occupations of all probity. In whom, as our tables of the new law evangelical, are so vevable for our instructions the capital letters of all good examples: that according to the prophesy of Abacuc, without laborious bend of eye, those which 
Abacuc. 2.  go by the way, even in their passage, may behold and read their lesson for virtuous industry and holy employment. We only Christians are Israelites: that is beholders of God: and strong with him by his grace in the mysteries of our faith; a beatitude promised to Moses, as witnesseth S. Augustin. Not Arian, Nestorian, or Mahometan, denying 
Augustin Quest. 45 in Exod.  the divinity of Christ, have so eager and effectual provokement to virtue, as we Christians in respect of our faithful expectation through Christ I● us God and man.  
6. And this kind of Christian agility is very properly signified by the day of our 
The Christian Saboth day.  Sabbath, to wit Sunday, in which our Redeemer accomplished his triumphant Resurrection. The jeve observed his Sabbath on Saturday, in which he had charged from almighty God, for a grateful memory of the great benefit of creation, to rest and surcease 
Exod 2 31. Deut 9 Caiet 1. 2. q. 122. art 4. Sua●. lib. 2. de vittur. Religion. Cap. ●●  from labour: notwithstanding we have no express record, that he was commanded on that day in particular by virtue of the Sabbath's precept, to exercise any act of religion, besides his obedient ●est, as sign of eternal repose in heaven: where paradise, without our toiling industry, in an eternal jubilee, is to afford us perpetual: utriment of best substance, and su●test delight. But our prime Sabaoth is Sunday, sanctified to this purpose by our redeemers Resurrection, in which we may contemplate many tokens of our active duty in virtue and good works. The Sun, heavens chiefest planet, giving name to our Sabbath, as it most resplendent, so most industrious in motion, perfecting it proper circular journey in the space of four and twenty hours: and that with such celerity, as is scarce by us imaginable; coursing out above ten thousand miles in one hour, as remarketh Leonard Lessius. Also our Saviour Christ, first and chiefest 
Leonard lessius lib. 1. de provid. Num. 30.  observer of our Sabbath, after his Resurrection gave many remonstrances of his spiritual iudustrie, as penetrating the difficulty of a hard and massy resisting grave stone, conveying himself at divers times hither and thither to make his appearance to his disciples, & that with such variety and multiplicity in the space of forty days, as it wonderful to consider. Accordingly the Apostles in sundry passages calling to mind this Resurrection of our saviour on the Sabbath day, s●ill put us in mind of death to sin, and of lively action to virtue, and almighty God. Preparation to which busy employment was good Friday, in which abandoning the Turkish Sabbath, by mortification we died to venery, & all effeminacy of delight. To the same purpose served Easter Eve, in which spiritually we were entoumbed, as it may seem in cloisture with Christ from all occasion of w●nton disports. Than entereth our perfect Sabbath of Easter day, in which we are now to perform a life most active, quick & nimble, a life heavenly and angelical. And therefore the prescribed quality of our Christ●an Sabbath day doth not consist in a mere repose and relinquishment of servile work, as it concerned the jeve, but also it is to be beheld in act of religion, as to hear the sacred Mass, commanded us by the church in the precept thereof, and in other heavenly endeavours.  
7. Moreover valuing and pondering the busy and importunate affairs of our saviour 
Why Christians in regard of Christ are most operative in their hope.  his life and death, & of his holy sacred merits, we shall evidently contemplate the operative quality of our Christianity, and how it is directed wholly by almighty God to works of virtue: and that in manner most singular and excellent. The entiere iconomy of Christ, his humble and painful actions & sufferances here on earth, were ordained to make us mount up to the top of perfection, as of all virtue in general, so principally of Charity: that we might hereby resemble our Creator, who charitably causeth his sun to shine upon the good and the bad. And therefore by price of this his asperity and rigour, we may gather, of what rate and height our actions aught to be. Recount we then the tilladge used by the self same son of God upon the ground of 
Math. 5.  our souls: and consider we the nobility of his inspired grace, as of an heavenly refreshing air, of water of paradise springing up to everlasting life, of a food of eternal 
1. Cor. 3.  joy, a force above nature's compass or ability. Than ponder we, how this grace was purchased for us: namely by his poor nativity in Bethlem, by his laborious preaching 
joan. 4.  and teaching in jury and Galilee, by his continual prayer, & often tears, by indigence, and injuries from the world against the divine majesty of his sacred person, by the dispiteous usage of him from the jeves and Gentiles, by his agony of death, and effusion of his precious blood: and then balancing the expenses defrayed to make us virtuous, and active for increase of good life, we shall conclude, that the professed office of a Christian man is not limited to any labour or industry particulat in this kind, but rather 
Hier. Epist. ad Eustoch.  to be such a one as is most eminent, transcendent, & close arriving to the very fiery agility of Angels themselves. Saint Hierome considering the soue●ane dignity of virtue in Christianity, thus speaketh. As soon as the son of Ood made his entry into the 
job. 39  world, forthwith be assembled a new family, to the end, that he, who in heaven was adored by Angels, might on earth also have his angels. Patiented job discoursing of the admirable 
Greg. li. 31. in job. c. 3.  power and providence of almighty God, to illustrate the same, maketh this demand: Shalt thou tie the Rhinocerot with thy collar to plough the ground? Upon which passage S. Gregory commenting, by Rhinocerots' understandeth mighty and redoubted princes, 
Power of the Cross over great Princes. Aug Tract. in joan. 3 cap. 1. Tract. 11. ca 3. Tract. 36. ●3. c. 12.  mastered and ruled by Christian grace, derived unto them from the cross of Christ. I remember myself of ten-times to have seen Rhinocerots' inflamed to str●●e with a great blo●e, and as it were elevating their horns with dreadful terror to have threatened to their subjects, as small beasts, deaths, banishm●ntes, condemnations: who upon a soudane making the sign of the cross on their foreheads, forth with extinguished all heat of fury forgot their mina●es, acknowledged themselves bound, that they could not perform what they before bade determined. Never was there found in man his judgement, before the coming of our saviour, any institution so effectual to virtue, as that delivered by almighty God to the jeves, notwithstanding this transending charged was given to the world from the oracle of our redeemers mouth: Vnlest your justice doth abound more than that of the Scribes and Pharasies, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Of which excellency of virtue, properly apertaininge 
Phil. in Hipar. joseph. lib. 2. Antiq. cap. 12.  to the old law, singularly well discourse Philo, and josephus.  
8. Upon this very consideration once a Catholic Gentleman in England conversant in my company, even out of his natural prudence avouched unto me, that the faith & religion protestanticall could not be judiciously thought as come originally from almighty God by merit of our Saviour Christ. For, said he, what proportion is there 
The English religion reproved by the merit of Christ.  betwixt the sacred Incarnation of Christ, that strange depression of his divinity, his rigorous life, his dolorous death, the wonderful and infinite moment of his precious sighs, tears, blood, and the faith and religion of protestants! Faith, I mean, said he, which is their justification, their period of all virtue and Christian sanctity, the only instrument of their hope and industry, adjoined to no remarkable labour, or any necessary honesty? Religion I understand such a one, as is devoid of presthood, of sacrifice, of altar, of church, of all majesty of outward ceremony, not fit to be the worship of him, who is creator of heaven and earth: whose ministers neither have ordination, nor lawful mission: who among themselves retain no hierarchy of a mystical body, no approved Canon of life and conversation decreed or ennacted in general counsel. Whereupon on the one side weighing the worth of expenses disbursed by our Saviour, & of the other the, slender purchase or fruit thereof to be seen among protestants, substantially did conclude, as I think: that assuredly almighty God was never man, or a sacrifice upon the cross, to found faith and religion of protestants: seeing that less charges, yea none at all, would have served, by such faith and religion to furnish Antichrist for his battery of Christ his Church, for the abolishment of virtue and overthrow of his family.  
9 Which excellency of our Christian hope, as it maketh itself manifest in regard 
The excellency of Christian hope in regard of civility. Arist. l 8 Pol.  of virtue in general, so doth it appear most perspicuously in the quality of such virtues, as concern Civil life and government, comparison being made with divers other politic institutions of pagan common wealths, Plato, as reporteth Aristotle not imagining a sufficiency of possible virtue to consist with propriety of wives and other emoluments, allowed therein a community, to the end that Citizen's minds enjoying once in that kind what they desired, might after more freely, 
Celius Rhodigin li. 28. c. 21.  as void of impossible desires or partiality, employ themselves about public affairs: to which purpose also sundry nations allow to one man many concubines. But the Christ●an discipline in regard also of civility, procureth in Citizens such virtue of continency, and charity, as that willingly they renounce this brutish or confused comunitie: some contenting themselves with one wife, others wholly remaninge devoted to virginity. In many common wealths by decree of law hath been established as good price, all purchase of strong hand, and of deceit, as is seen among the Scythians & barbarous nations, not expecting to attain by their discipline to perfect justice & equity among themselves: whereas our faith maketh men not only not injurious to others, but also voluntary forsakers of what they have. In Grece, where was fountain of civility, the most famous law makers utterly despaired in times of peace to find in Citizens hearts true virtues, and therefore, as reporteth Aristotle, did not lay down any laws properly belonging to peace, seeking only to establish a policy in fury of arms, whilst one City or nation fought against and other. And surely this fact of theirs was grounded upon the great difficulties which occur in time of peace 
Juvenal Satyr. 6.  against virtue, being a thing more hard for subjects in seasons of flourishing repose to be just, pious, continent, and temperant▪ then it is in tumult of wars for them not to be courageous, and patiented. And we understand from histories, how weak was virtue among the ancient Romans, in that their estate flourished at home only as long, as martial discipline stoo● in arms abroad▪ the which decayed, when pleasures of peace & ease obtained the soveranty. And at this day nothing doth so support the Turkish empire as continual wars and combustions against foreign people. From which martialitie if it shall once surcease, forthwith their slender and feeble virtue at home taught by their religion, will yield up hand to licentious liberty, and effeminacy. In which point our Catholic faith is solely effectual for virtue: the which persuadeth peace very instantly, as a condition peculiarly convenient for her decuments, by reason of strong motives she hath for virtue, and for the withdrawing of men's forces from pleasure. Neither as yet in peace any community in the world hath so long flourished, as that of Christians: which is a pregnant argument of virtue and heavenly grace therein implied, able to resist the forcible allurements of delights in tranquillity and abundance. Aristotle rehearseth unto us, that the Sages of Grece, although they 
Arist. l. 4 Pol.  thought a monarchy to be the best form of government, yet considering the eminent degree of exemplar virtue requisite in monarchs, judged it as impossible, that 
Sines l de Rep. Titulo 1  such desired virtue in one man should be found, as was once by Appelles all the beeuties of the women in Grece expressed in one picture of Helena: & therefore did not say dowen laws for that government, but rather advertised nations not to trust to kings or monarchs. Nevertheless this moral impossibility by the Christian faith & hope is taken away, and among us subjects voluntarily covet to live under kings, & monarchs: whose choice is much approved by the divine monarchy of the Papacy in the common wealth of Christ his church. Likewise kings and monarchs courageously among us resolve to be eminent phenixes in all virtue, and integrity of life.  
10. Here against the perfection of the Christian faith began to swell the mighty malice of Antichrist, which endeavoureth by his forerunners the protestants, to damn up and restrain the course thereof in virtue and good works, devising under an heavenly 
Hope of the Protestant void of virtue and good works.  colour of a faith pretended, and quality of Christ his deserts believed, to cut the very virtue & sinouse of true Hope, to persuade a compendiarie abridgement of Christian office, and estate of the Gospel, consisting in a mere belief apprehending the merciful promises of grace, and bliss thereon solely depending. To which project I have seen in England certain tables or charts, draune our surely by the pencil of Antichrist, divided into too ranks of abominable doctrine: in the former under the title of Grace, and of the Gospel, were laid doven all such places of scripture, as appertain ●o the benefits of faith: In the other under name Of the la, by Catalogue was rehearsed such sacred texts of holy writ, as concerned the natural and moral precepts of honesty: as forbidding adultery, fornication, injustice, neglect of the Sabbath day, dishonour of parents, injustice of stealth, murder, and disobedience against superiors Whereby was intimated to the rude Euglish, that the observances of moral virtue and probity did not much touch Christians, no more than did the old law abolished by Christ our Redeemer concern to their duties: and also that if any believer did transgress against them by turpitude or iniquity of life, yet still by privilege of his faith he was a guiltless child of grace and of the Gospel, free from ghostly detriment through any dishonesty thereby. O strange Gospel of a protestant, thus sequestered and ranked a part from endeavours of natural honesty! O admirable grace of his faith, retaining life of justification even in the sloth of not workeinge, yea in the dunghill of most filthy & loathsome deportementes & working ill! Let him then know, that he is enfolded in darkness of a mystery of iniquity, plotted by his captain Antichrist, let him also learn of the Catholic, in what sense and meaning the Apostle S Paul in 
How the la of faith is distinguished from the la of virtue. ●●daicall justice was reposed in works separated from faith in Christ Non ex fide, sad ●● quam ex ope tibus tum e rant. August. Tract. 54. in joan. cap. 12. Iste ergoconflictus non I●dae orum, ●●quorum lib aliorum, sed pl●ne Chr●stianorum fidelium Aug l 3. count jul. c 26. De Fide & oper c. 8. Aug. l 3. count. 2. Epist. Pelag. ca 4. Quis est tam impius qui di cat ideo se ista l●gis non custodire praecepta, quia est ipse Christianus, nec sub lege, sed sub gratia constitutus? Digito enim Dei lex scripta est, sed propter duros in lapide scripta est. Nunc iam Dominus in terra scribebat, quia fructum quaerebat. Aug Tract. 33. in joan. ca 8. Math. 20. 1. Corin. 3. joan. 9 Gall. 9 Ephes. 5.  his Epistle to the Romans distinguisheth by way of opposition the law of faith, and that of the Gospel, from the law of works, and natural integrity of behaviour  
11, Some times the holy Apostle by style of the law signifieth the ceremonial law, properly belonging to the jeve, which by faith and grace of the Gospel was to expire and determine: at other times by title of the law he compriseth the entire tenor of the same, purporting moral life, in as much as it doth not include the spirit of christian faith, but only as it lieth engraved in the hard and dead tables of stone, severed from faith in Christ, serving merely to instruct, and to affright man his frailty or rebellious disposition by fear of punishment assigned therein to transgressors. But in deed, faith, grace, & the Gospel do contain in their bovels as it were the self same natural law of works, and probity: which by reason of an inward burning charity, more effectually and industriously doth execute them, than the moral documents of virtues of themselves delivered by almighty God unto the jeves, and registered in stony tables, were able to perform. So that the proper spirit of faith, of grace and of the Gospel, is a spirit of God works, and in this kind more operative, than ever was the law of Moses. Whereupon then assuredly doth a Christian man, not a jeve, as teacheth S. Augustin, behave himself according to the spirit of faith, Grace and the Gospel, when by virtuous endeavours he is most obedient, & humble; when he is eminently chaste, and mortifieth the flesh by rigorous discipline of life: when he fasteth, prayeth, giveth alms, helpeth his neighbours, payeth what he oweth. In which endeavours he is not a jeve, or a follower of the law, as Turchishly and barbatously protestants do teach, but rather a perfect Christian, shining in the grace and light of the Gospel according to S Augustin. Good God, can natural honesty of good works be estranged from faith & freedom of the Gospel? Is a jeve, or a bore philosopher, by instinct of doctrine, an honester man, a man of greater perfection, which consisteth in good action, then is a protestant professing the liberty of the Gospel? when almighty God is to judge all Christians at the latter day, he is to judge them by their faith, their grace, and liberty of the Gospel: yet by virtue thereof, and their one vocation, as workmen, as soldiers, pilgrims, husbandmen: in whom the spirit of faith, of grace, and of the Gospel is intrinsically and essentially operative, allotted to task of labour & sweat in virtue: from whose estate and faith are not to be distinguished their travails, as the Gospel is severed from the law. Call the workmen, saith our saviour Christ, and give them their reward Than Christians by nature and proper conduct of faith, of grace and of the Gospel are observers of the law. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly. And when sundry places of holy scriptures exhort us to works of virtue, doubtless we are spoken unto as Christians, by faith, grace, and Gospel ordained to work, and that more efficaciouslie than either jeves by means of their law, or Gentle by force of his philosophy, could be enabled.   

The reliance, which Christian Hope hath upon the endeavours of virtue, is not only sacred and heavenly, but truly civil and politic.  
CHAPTER. V  
SUCH is the excellent quality of virtue, that it is not only available for man to purchase with favour of Almighty God his own eternal beatitude, but also necessary for the civil institution, preservation and happy estate of any human society: heaven & earth in a sort tendering unto us most important motives for study and practise thereof. So that if a careless neglect, not regarding celestial bliss, should breed in us a forgetfulness of the same, yet worldly emolument would still support and maintain in our breasts towards her a great love and affection. In this manner 
Virtue heavenly & civil.  therefore in virtue conspire things mortal and immortal, visible and invisible, the dew of the firmament, and the fat of this loest element. Plutarch recounteth it as a thing wonderful, that the ancient Ethnics did never build up any temple To the 
Pluth lib. de Fortuna.  virtue of temperance, or sufferance, to magnamanitie, or Continence: But to fortune, even with the first foundations of Rome▪ have been erected many both sumptuous, & of great antiquity. The reason perhaps was, that they deemed these virtues in their seeds so to be in grafted in man his nature, that they needed no prompter to put us in mind of them, whose actions with us were to be in continual ure, depending on our own industry, not wholly upon any external favour or benevolence of others.  
2. No doubt if virtue hold a continual sovereignty in the actions and minds of Citizens, or patriots, all would pass among them with great contentment, commodity, 
The civil force of virtue is generally declared.  and flower of civility: I mean, if virtue were embraced of them for itself, and expressed not only with outward show, and painted colour for some other end of interest, but even harboured in loyal love of their hearts and judgements. For if law only by penalty extort from a subject good abearance, no sooner shall terror of justice be out of his sight, then crafty conveyance of proud avaricious, or voluptuous concupiscence, or from it open violence, will perform some one feat or other of impiety. The distemperature whereof, as an inward ague in the bovels of a body politic, will in short time ●ret and consume the whole substance of good policy; and increasing daily in coverture of dissimulation, finally will rush out apparently into barbarism, to the overthrow of the community. Therefore if virtue be wanting in any society, as well remarketh Aristotle. Namely when justice is wanting in man, no fraud, saith 
Arist. 1. pol. c. 2. The disorder of man great without ver●●e.  he of wild beasts is so great, no such is their malice, as may be compared with the malice of him: for when injustice is armed, as it is most horrible; so seeing that man is armed by nature, as by his prudence and force, to use on this side, or the other, if he once want virtue, nothing on earth is so wicked as he, nothing more cruel, or more given ●o lust and intemperance. Brute creatures by ordinance of nature are so balanced & appointed, that they cannot exceed or decline from that end for which they are created, or use any preposterous means thereunto. 
Aug. Epist▪ ●●.  But man, as by noble endowementes of re●son and free will is furnished to accomplish 
Three instruments serving man in his actions. Omnis societ●s fraudulentum socium naturali●e● non v●● Aug l. de Nupe. & Con●. cap. 4▪ Mercury of Barbarism. C●l. ●hod●gin ● 10. A●● cap. ●●. Only virtue is the instrument of policy.  his office and function, so when not restrained or ordered by virtues law, those ve●● gifts of nature, by so much the more in him violently break out into barbarism, by how much his mind is more sharp and intelligent, his will more free and resolute. Wherefore Aristotle very properly and considerately in his books of Ethics having entreated of moral life and virtue, so concludeth them, that he maketh in the clos●●● a fit transition to his ensuing treatise of policy.  
3. There be then three instruments, by which men in civil focietie effect their drifts and purposes. Fraud, strong hand, and virtue. Fraud, and might are instruments merely of barbarism. Neither do we understand here by barbarism only a Scythian invasion of a savage cuthroat or highlander, or a rank rider, but also the sly and craf●●● invasion of the pirate, of the but feve, of the curpurse, of the false broke: and advocate. For barbarism hath attendant a Mercury with his winged head of subtility, and with a purse at h●s belt of commodity, as well as Minerva, or sincere Civility. It remaineth then only, that virtue be the sole organ and lawful mistress of true policy. In which order of civil virtue, next after religion, is most necessary justice, ordained to the procurement of the common good, belonging to many: so that Citizens, as advertiseth us Aristotle is not to repute himself as his own, or at his own disposition, but rather 
Arist l. 1. pol. c 2. Civil Charity.  to appartaine to the common wealth. For seeing all Citizens are parts of the multitude, nature hath given charge to every part to have an especial ●are of the whole. And as each part in dignity and place exceedeth other, so proportionablelie in every one is to be a great care of charity and piety towards the communalty. And how virtue doth concur to 
Arist li 1. pol. c. 8.  the office both of prince, and subject, thus Aristotl● likewise declareth: If he who is to command, be not moderate and just, how can he well command? if he, who is to obey be in like-sorte disfornished of virtue, how will he modestly obey? for one being an intemperate slugarde, will perform no obligation of good duty. Wherefore it is manifest, that both are to be adorned with virtue, although not in all points with equality of degree. Of which difference, although accorded in a civil consonance, we are now to discourse.  
4 As the end of a law enacted by a prince, is to make the subject good & virtuous, 
Virtue of a 〈◊〉 A●●st Ethic. c. ●●. ●. 〈◊〉 c. ●●●o 1. Magn. Moral c. 2 Arist ●. pol c. 8  especially just, and well effected to the common weal, so the prince being himself a living and speaking law, is by example of work not only to appear virtuous, but also to be endowed with virtue in principality of highest quality. H● who is to command, saith Arist. Is to be fornished and adorned with perfect and absolute virtue of manners. For his office is as it were of an architect, or crafts master, to whom especially belongeth the name of virtue. Than the prince, by his own profession, also by institution of almighty God and nature, is to shine with virtue, & that not in vulgar kind, but in sovereignty and exemplaritie: so that his purple, crown, and sceptre be not so much signs of his power 
The Priest & the Prince by bond of office ought to be virtuous.  and majesty, as of his singular eminent virtue, and integrity of life. Whereupon the politics of our days might propose a question, as more disputable, so also more profitable unto the world, to wit, whether the priest or the prince by office and duty are obliged to be more virtuous, than whose power is the greater According to 
An non cernimis, optimo cuique Dominatu● ab ipsa natura cum summa v●ili●a●e infimorum, datum? Cice●o l. 3. de Repub. Aug. l. 4 cont. jul. cap. 12 Virtue required in noble persons. Arist. 2. pol. c. 7.  which proportion of virtue, answering unto power of commaunderie in dew measure of the same, Aristotle doth very well thereon conclude, that noble persons are obliged to be more virtuous, than the vulgar sort, the husband, than the wife, the master, than the servant, in whom, if he be a slave or bond man, is regardable minima virtus the meanest estate of virtue. Whereupon he examining the proper temper of spirit and disposition of a prince, saith. He is to accept of the government willingly, and yet in some sort against his will, whosomever shall be worthy of Empire. That is he aught not to aim only at superiority for his own avail or pleasure, but rather to undergo labours, pains & travails for the common good: his charge seeming rather to be unto him irksome, then delightful. Also the same philosopher talkeing of one fit to be elevated to the top of government, thus discourseth: When it so falleth out, that one whole race, or one among the rest, doth so excel in virtue, that he surpasseth they virtues of others, or of that prog●n●e, than it is convenient, that kingly right be granted to such a family with high●st power, or that one of it be king. Therefore as an absolute monarch is placed in chief top of domination, so is he by God, and nature the more obliged to be virtuous, 
Arist. l. 5. Ethi. c 1.  and that in a kind singular, rare and monarchical: and is not so much to regard his own power absolute and independent, as his duty and function of chiefest virtue architectonical. Kingly ancthoritie, saith Arist. To that end● is ordained, that the people thereby may be defended▪ and from among those which be good, kings are to be culled out: either in reckoning of their virtuous actions, or surely of their dignity and excellenty in this kind. 
Princes by virtue like unto almighty God. Arist. l. 5. Ethi. c 1. Aug. Epist. 100LS. l 2. C●● c. 21. 22. 24,   
5. Herby we may understand, that princes by nothing so much as by virtue, especially such virtue as is beneficial to others, as by ●egal justice, comprising in itself all other virtues like a blazing Venus and Lucifer in the firmament, as speaketh Aristotle, do express that similitude they have with almighty God. Tr●th it is that their power of soveranity, which in them as a sparkle of that huge furnace of authority abounding in almighty God, doth in some sort make them resemble the first cause: yet this in a prince is not his especial grace, or chiefest dignity arriving nearest unto his creator. For a prince may abuse his regality and estate applying it to barbarous tyranny: he may amidst his subjects become Belua, a cruel beast, as noteth Aristotle. But virtue, 
Arist li. 3. pol c. 12. 10. Ethic. c. 9  as marketh S. Augustine, cannot be by him abused, and it will still recommend the prince as honourable and amiable, as in an especial manner representing the high perfection of almighty God. A prince saith Aristotle rightly graced with virtue is with good 
Plut. in Arist.  reason to be esteemed of others as a God. Plutarch likewise to the same purpose thus discourseth: Almighty God, unto whom men by study, care, and wor●●, endeavour to make themselves like, doth excel in three things: to wit, immortality, power, and virtue: among which the● virtue no thing is more beneficial, nothing more honest, nothing more divine. Also worthy the consideration of a prince is an advertisement given by Philo. A● ser making other 
Philo l. de judicio.  things warm, is first hot of it own nature: contrary wise snow●, by nature coldef●●s●th other things, so a judge aught to be full fraught with justice, if he administer the same to others, from whom, as from a fountain do sto●e the sweet streams of laws to those, as desire justice. Again in an other place. In the la of Moses it is a most just command, that the prince in the Common 
Philo lib. de 〈◊〉 Prine.  walth do not deal▪ fraudulently with his subjects. For deceitful manners, whilst dissimulation covereth intended affairs, appertain to servile and base spirits. Wherefore a Prince is not so to handle his vassals, who among them is a father, and from them as his children, is to receive dutiful respect. For priuces (that I may tell the truth) are so ma●●e public parents of cities 
Virtue only maketh a man amiable. Aug. Tract. ●2 in joan. cap 7. Decus ergo corporis animus, decus animi Deus. Detriment to a commonwealth from a Prince of a wicked life.  and nations. How many then of them be good are not inferior in piette to natural parents. Contrary wise such princes as to the det●●ment of the subjects abuse their power, are not in deed princes, ●ut rather to be termed enemies, do●●g● th●ctes of enemies. After talking of certain noble princes, notorious for yertue, as examples to be proposed to other princes, he thus concludeth: Let princes imitate these presidents, if they coue● to be like unto almighty God.  
6. Whereby we may understand, what a civil damage falleth upon the commonwealth, from the vicious life of a Prince, and from such acts of his, when public honours and offices are by him committed to wicked persons. By nature a subject is prove to prize that at an high rate, which is esteemed in the choice of his Prince, and to imitate that seriously, of which his Prince hath given him by his action a pattern. Whereupon, when he shall behold impiety, atheism, incontinency, injustice and intemperance graced by the demeanour and manners of his prince, fo●th with he will judge such vices not to be of that deformity or turpitude, as others more scrupulousl●e do suppose: and so think, that they will beseem also his own person and carriage very well, being graced by his Prince. In like manner when he esp●eth vicious persons ennobled by the Prince with style of honour, with public charged of commaundrie, enriched by ample revenues, forthwith he will dame, the only way to be preferred by such a prince, is to be vicious su●ablely to his humour, & to that of his favourites: whereby he shall resolve accordingly. Which practice and life of Prince directly tendeth to barbarism. For as nothing is substantially civil but virtue, so nothing indeed harsh and rude, nothing falsely fraudulent, or importunelie violent in a society, but vice and iniquity. And assuredl●e I think, that from no other fact of tyranny proceedeth such baleful loss to the common wealth, as from the Prince's evil carriage employed to favour vice, and disgrace virtue.  
7. Out of the same principles evidently also are deduced consequences implying 
V●rtue required in subjects.  semblable virtue, in the performance of civility, on the behalf of subjects. For indeed civility is nothing else then an aggregation of all the virtues intellectual, and moral, referred to legal justice and equity: whereby public good of many is procured, preserved and augmented. Therefore Seneca deciphering the particular articles and 
Se●. Epist. 90.  parts of civility, thus recounteth them: It is the only work of Philosophy, to find out truth, both in divine and human affairs; from whence never departeth justice, pi●●●e, religion, and society of all virtues combine● together. This science teacheth a man to worship divine things, and to love human, to acknowledge the empire of the Gods, and to admit a fellowship among men, the which was once 〈◊〉 before ●o●●t●●usnes pulled it in p●●ces. And doubtless the golden world under king Satu●ne, so renowned by the ancients for happy policy, was nothing else but a society of men knit together by the bonds of all the virtues: Whereby they were friendly, just, charitable, continent, and temperant: and the method to br●ng in again this golden age, is by the same virtue, through the merits of our Redeemer. Therefore a Citizen mu●t be established with continence and temperance, moderating the inordinate motions of his sensual desire ●he must also be strengthened with fortitude so restraining fear in him, that it never upon veve of terror make him to retire from his place and office of public service. Also his will by puer affection towards justice, and the public weal is so to be inflamed, that not only for his own private emol●ment he perform the outward endeavour & formality of virtue in regard thereof, but that moreover even out of cordial choice, he employ and engage himself in procuring and maintaining public utility. Otherwise if these civil virtues be exhibited only in a colourable show of honesty in some artificial plot of invention, first the Citizen's perceuing such artifice, will abandon all confidence one towards another: and so never will frankly consort for the effect of any noble enterprise; suspicion continually attending upon their words and actions: then where without danger of penalty injurious appetite may raze it out in them for private purchase, there it will adventure, and so by night as it were of a stratagem, demolish that civility, which was ●arst bu●l●e by day of sincere meaning. Aristotle affirmeth, that the perfection of a Citizen, 
Arist. l. ●. Ethi. ca ●. ●●. 7. Pol. c. 10. Sen. Epist. 7●.  intended by the law, is virtue: We have determined, that the best end of civil science is that, which ●●esh diligence, whenby it may tender the Citizens good, rightly affected, and sit to perform honest ●ndeuors. And therefore as he in civility chiefly respecteth probity of manners, so he defineth, that civil authority appointeth for subjects outward commodities of riches, & honour in a common wealth only in that measure, in which they be most serviceable to virtue: So that good men will not increase their wealth inordinately, nor evil men have power so to do. It is a floolish avarice of some writeth Senera, who puta difference betwixt possession and poprietie: and think that not theirs, which is of the community.  
8. But as virtue in general is requisite to civility, so times being distributed to 
Proper times deputed to proper virtues.  those of war, & others of peace, some virtue will seem as proper for war, and some other for peace. For as to each season severally certain vices and inordinate passions are incident contrary to virtue, so in each of them peculiar virtues by authority of the magistrate are to be in use and practise. And therefore a civil politician must ●s well know the civil arts of peace, as of war. Whereupon Aristotle maketh this distribution: Fortitude and patience are necessary to entertain and perform laudable attempts in times of trouble: philosophy serveth for quietness. But temperance and justice are profitable for booth occasions: 
Arist. l. 7. pol. cap. 14.  yet more specially concern times of quietness and repose. For as war maketh men to be ●uste, and frugal, so prosperity and ●ase with peace rendereth them licentious and unjust. Therefore virtues are by a prudent prince in all times by his own example, and his laws, to be fortified against their opposite vices & perturbations, respectively in each time rise●●ge in uproar against reason, and the common good. So then we may see, what is support of our Christian hope, & matter of industry thereof; to wit virtue: the same to be also the golden chain of Homer linkeing heaven & earth together in one band, containing eternal beatitude, and temporal policy.   

Our Christian hope as it beareth strong hand against pride and voluptuousness, so thereby standeth it against two mighty engines of barbarity and incivility.  
CHAPTER. VI  
AS divine hope in astedfast curse by endeavours of virtue passeth on to the guerdon 
Hope an enemy of pride and pleasure.  of felicity, so doth her constancy with semblable courage give repulse to all vice either pleasantly persuading, or dreadfully threatening ou● stay or fall. All which deformity of mischief in this our voyage hath too heads: to wit pleasure and pride, as man his universal coinquination of the flesh & of the spirit, as speaketh the Apostle, 
2▪ Cor. 7.  to be eschewed, if they assail us, or scoured out, if they once pollute us. And that the more effectually our Christian hope might resolve to overcome the forces, to refuse the offers of these vile monsters, by reason's eye they are discovered unto us in hew so ugly and deformed, so baleful & damegeable, that not only we behold them to debar offenders from entry in●o heaven, place of felicity, but also with barbarism to disturb all human society, and to overthrow that civility, which virtue by he● la●es and customs laboureth among men to frame and establish.  
2. Pride, although in regard of the obiect●, to wit, honour and sovereignty, percevable 
The seat of pride in man.  only by reason seem to be a vice spiritual and intellectual, yet notwithstanding in that it aimeth at excellency situated on high, environed with soudrie difficulties, as with opposition of hatred and emulation, therefore it dominireth in man his will, as Iraseible, the proper seat of fiery and cruel barbarity. And as the object by the mind is apprehended as man his chiefest good, so the irascible affection accordingly pursueth the same with hottest commotion of wrathful ranker, when impediments of adverse countermines, of hostile competency from any enemy, or corrivals industry, with 
Arist. l. 3. Ethi. c. 7.  resistance doth occur, or confront her procedings. Therefore Aristotle affirmeth, that a bold and audacious person is also arrogant: because, that he may the better prevail, and attain unto his enterprise, he beareth a blustering show of pressing still forwards, with contempt of all peril or power to the contrary.  
3. Now to conceive, how insolency violating moderation of carriage, is likewise 
Pride an enem●e of Civility.  injurious to a civil society, to omit the rehearsal of histories, recording the same by soudry events, it is most manifest, and without all difficulty to apprehended. For as the desires of arrogant men are excessive and ardent, so do they engender in envious persons the greater hatred, and more bitter alievation of mind from others. How then shall the Citizens, so severed by private ambition, so suspicious of each others actions, agreed in united force, for the performance of any rare or eminent exploit in the common wealth? Neither will pride only so disperse them into divers quarters of dislike, but moreover will enkindle them banded in sundry factions in a desire, by all means possible bend, to endamage the adversant party: by which hostility, necessarily the 
Pride attended upon by other vices.  common good must finally perish and decay. Also this insolent vice raiving in subjects minds, is not commonly alone, but rather hath in retinue and furniture all other sins of iniquity, as stealth, rapine, malediction, perjury, invasion, yea also licentious concupiscence of sensuality. Ordinarily, saith S. Gregory lust Springeth out of the root● of arrogancy. Therefore the final butt, of this swelling and swimming elation in all society, 
Greg in ca 12. job. ●os. c. 8.  is barbarism, and violent irruption to disorder and confusion. The vaineman, sayeth the prophet Hoseas Is elevated into pride, and as ●f he were a colt of a wild ass, thin●eth himself borne to freedom. S. Gregory recounteth excellently well thus the barbarous 
Gregor. Homil. 4●.  effects of pride and arrogancy. In all, who sw●ll within themselves by proud conc●ptes, are to be found clamour in speech, bitterness in silence, dissolution in mirth, fury insad●es, dishonesty in action, dishonesty in imagination, lambstones in gate, rancour in answer. Such men's m●●des a●e always pote●t to repr●ch●, and weak to bear disgrace▪ sl●e to ●bay, by contuneli● to pr●n●●e others immoderate. They seem to be car●ed betwixt hea●●n and earith; forthat neither they re●aine●●●nferior matters equalit●e of fraternity, and yet ext●lling themselves cannot arius to 〈◊〉 great sublimity.  
3. Besides this bo●sterouse violence of arrogancy, tending to barbarity, the same 
Pride accompanied wit● ignorance  vice is moreover always accompanied with ignorance, to the great detriment of civility. For proud men, to the examples of Giants, or solivagant lions, build themselves up mansion places in the solitude; whilst reputing their own knowledge excellent, 
Arist l. 1. ●●●it. cap. 2.  they disdain to learn of others, and so remain still as Bellephorons in the darkness of their own ignorance. Whereupon Plutarch reputeth pride a sin in this respect uncivil, in what it is injurious to the light of reason: and therefore he reporteth, that the Egyptians did feign their Gods Isis to be altogether contrary to aphron: that is▪ I'd: 
Pl●●arch l. de ●id & O●●.  in that this Iphron swellen with errors and ignorance, doth rend in pieces and abolish all doctrine gathered by the geddes.  
4. Therefore our Catholic hope rightly informed by faith, chooseth for her foundation 
Hope relieth upon humility  the virtue of humility, upon which once settled below, she raiseth after by obedience and contempt of worldly greatness, all the state and height of her sublime fortunes and perfections. Especially at the very beginning of her work she submitteth her power to authority of Church, and regarde●ully taketh guidance from the oracle of the fame in all mysteries of almighty God. Here humility of top sail maketh first the anchor sure below and safe for preservation of the ship.  
5. But as no bad disposition is more hurtful to a common wealth then that of pride, 
Christian hope staineth against the pride of heresy.  so in th●s kind, none so pern●cions as heresy and private interpretation or choice of scripture, with m●spritall of unity and quietness: generalite and sancti●ie in the Catholic Church standing against such arrogant presumption. For as the quality of the curiosity is of chiefest import▪ so the pa●ties therein dessenting will be more eager and intemperate in their contentions There is not a protestant in the world, be he never so 
Pride of protestancy.  very a busard, or ass never so ●●e bloen with his own swelling fancy, who comparing his personal light of faith with that, which did shine in the whole church before Hus, wi●leff, ●uther, and Caluin, will not resolutely condemn and contemn the authority thereof, the general bel●efe, the universal manner of serving of almighty God then by sacrifice and ceremony, as times plunged in darkness of false and superstitions ignorance. Thus much of late, have we underdoode, with our great laughter, from the pen of an Archeminister in a childish bablement of his, concerning a case of matrimony: 
George Abbot Interrogat▪ about a case of matrimony.  calling the Church visible in time of Hin●marus, Bishop of Reim●s▪ a child of darkness what privilege of study, of school, of education, of wit, hath his corpulent Minerva to reject the Curehes law, then in practice, as engrossed in darkness, as a decree of palpable ignorance! what is his monish light, whose weak blaze in the night bringeth only dead corpses of sinners to their speedier corruption? what discovereth he in heaven, I beseech him, by his light? He beholdeth for sooth, that Almighty God 
Arist. Probl▪ Objects of prorestantish light.  is auctor and actor of sin: that the second person in the sacred Trinity is God of himself, and not God of God his fasher: That the holy ghost hath not appointed any visible authority in the Church, to rule the faiths of Chrinstians, but hath left all to the Babylonian spri●its of each bible Clerk, or malapert expounder of scriptures. That saints in their glory & frendshplie with their Redeemer, are not to be worshipped by us mortal men on earth. What by his light doth he behold? for sooth, that to a believer nothing of filthy or injurious action is to be imputed: that the law of God and nature is impossible: that virtue and vice are bore titles, and names of fair or deformed qualities: that there is no priesthood or sacrifice in the Church: that a puritan minister may prate out his service in his doublet and his hose: and a Protestant perform his liturgy with a cap, and a coop, a dog, and an ape. How truly falleth out that, which S. Gregory relateth of proud heretics, having in their own conciptes as many candles sticking in the muddy Candlesticks of their own heads, as the firmament above hath s●arres and lights: being so proud, that wre● as they ●now not to be wise with 
Greg, in cap. 12. ●ob.  moderation, they utter ridiculous saulsities? There will come one day when such uncirconsised Philistians shall want tongues to reproach the whole arm●e of God his church, and it will be verified the tenor of divine promise: I will not permit that Bet●all insult against 
Nahum 1.  thee. no child of confuse Babylon, and hireling of proud Antichrist, shall have ability to injury or disturb the Jerusalem of God his church: for that arrogant heretical eye, whi●h scorne●h his father, and despiseth the travail of his mothe● in bearing him, that is 
Proverb. ●0.  the church in her copious and abundant catholic generality, according to S. Gregory, let the ra●ens of the torrent p●●ke out, and the young of the eagle eat it. It savoureth 
Greg. lib 18 in ●ob. Cap 25. Qui damna●e audent orb● inauditum. Aug. lib. 2 count parm●. Cap 9 lib 3 Cap. 3. De unit ecclesia Cap. 13. lib 3. con● lit. Pelit. cap. 2.  therefore of an arrogant and seditious spirit, to misprise with the Donatists any general judgement and practice in the church as works of darkness, and stumbling blocks of blind ignorantes without sound proof of argument: For hereby may any sectaries in a commonwealth traduce the received faith and religion therein as darkness, and blindness, style themselves corn & others chaff: all laws of princes may so be disgraced, if passionate malcontents venting their hot spirit into rebellion, by such spiteful titles do obraide them. Wherefore that the minister may make good his slander against the Church's knowledge in the time of Hin●marus, Arch bishop of Rheims in France, he must show what falsitle was then taught, what superstition was then in ure contrair to purer faith and religion in former ages of the Church, and it to have been some times disallowed by Fathers and Counsels. But that such devised darkness is his own mere malicious fiction, may be thence proved, for that the famous Doctors of Christ his Church in Hincmarus time, and after him, which were lights of the Christian world, never discovered, or forced away by the beams of their literature any such devised mist of ignorant obscurity, no mention or reprehension thereof was made by S Eulogius martyr of Corduba, by S. Fulbertus Bishop of Charters, by Pe●rus Dami●ni, ●anfrancus, Guitunudus, S. Anselme, S. Bernard and others. Therefore this imputed darkness is an object only of his heretical pride, and malicious fury.  
5. moreover there is nothing, the which▪ doth ●o deflover the beauty of a common 
Pleasure is an instrument of barbarism. Pausan in phocia.  wealth, so enfeoble the substance thereof, as dissolute pleasures, riot and incontinency. whereupon well accorded with true philosophy the fiction of Homer, reporting the illelandes of the luxurious sirens to have been replenished with scattered dead men's bones: for that carnal delights of disport, idleness, excessive diet, and unchaste life, end in death & putrefaction of body and soul. where then raineth contempt of discipline restraning the extravagant overreaches of the wandering understanding by a certain rule of divine commaundrie, & courbing the will from immoderate irruption into sensual lavishementes, there first will ensue darkness and ignorance in the mind, 
Pleasure hur●eth the wit.  with neglect of learning, by reason of gross vapours from the body arising up unto the head, and there engrossing the spirits: also in regard of the particularities of things vehemently sensed by pleasure, different in condition from the elevated, abstracted principles of contemplation, dilightes hinder speculative knowledge. Than is man by these dregs of sensuality disgraced, whilst base impurity doth with the outward purtraicture of a beast au●le the form of man, as noteth Seneca, no other wise then if by a draft of Circe's Cup he were transformed into the shape of an unreasonable 
Seneca Epist. 122 Arist. lib. 5. polite cap. 11. Pleasure an enemy of courage. Seneca Epist. ●1.  creature. Therefore Aristo●le prudently dissuadeth princes from unlawful use of pleasure: for that nothing saith he, doth make them so contemptible unto their subiectos, as such brutish deportement. After these damages, proceeding from voluptuousness in a civil society, followeth also an effeminacy of all virility, proper to the will of man, as irascible. In regard whereof persons delicious are still fearful, and dare not adventure upon any commendable enterprise, where difficulty or hazard are presented. Beasts of portage saith Seneca endure any way never so rough: houses are hardened in a course soil. But if pampered in a soused and morish ground, they are soon worn. So a soldier, who is strongest, cometh from a craggy country. The Burgise, and the household servant are slothful. Therefore 
Homer Hiad 2.  Homer delivered good and sound philosophy, when he reported, Hector being returned from combat, to have refused a draft of sweet and aromatical wine, tendered him by his mother for his refeeshement.  

Mell●tum mihi chara parens, ne po●●ige vinum.  
Ne me debilites, roburque a corpore demas.  
No w●ne give me with honey sweet my mother dear,  
Lest courage fail, and body's strength surprised be by fear.   
Lastly where pleasure is in a commonwealth predominant, their suspicions, ●iualities 
Pleasure ●● cruel. S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 31. art. 1. & 2.  and hatred w●ll sever one subject from an other. for although pleasure do covardise her followers, yet still when opportunity of revenge is offered, it will make them cruel and fierce in their affections, as they be irascible: accordingly as it is observed, that commonly voluptuous princes are also fell tyrants.  
6. From this baleful delight, both for search of truth, and love of probity, the 
Christian hope is soyned to austetitic of life.  christian hope relying on security of discipline, in both kinds, doth altogether decline: aiming at the atcheevement of her end by rule of faith according to prescription of church; and by abandoning of sensual allurements, with correspondence to severe decree of virtue. Whereby she is not only well proportioned in reckoning of heavenly beatitude, but also in respect of civil life and community excellently accomplished. 
Pretended hope of the protest●t admitteth no restraint.  Contrariwise the Protestant is engaged in the service of Antichrist, as to licence the understanding to what faith it shall please the same to derive from scriptures, so likewise to enlarge the appetite to what disorder of carnality it shall much desire: as well to the loss of heavens worth, as also misprise, though barbarism, of true policy and human society, as hearafter shallbe proved.  
7. But, as if it were not enough, that our Catholic faith be assailed by sundry heresies, 
The barbarous policy of vice examined.  all isshuing into barbarism, of late days a certain kind of preposterous policy by form of government and institution of civil commaundrie and principality to the effect of the same barbarity hath given hot charge against it. In which ●orte of devise Nicholas Machiavelli, a Forentine counsellor, hath seemed to have been an excellent Architect and sectmaister: in whose school many have so profited, that for thi● own private gain they have mightily endamaged the community, they have sold heaven, confounded the earth for imaginary purchase of revendge, or some profitable increase of their private substance. Of whom I dare boldly & peremptorily avouch 
Marchiavill a scholar of old politics. Arist. iib. 5. Polit. Cap. 11.  three things. First, that in these documents of pretended policy, nothing of moment is to be attributed to him as prime inventor: In that Aristotle himself, and other ancient philosophers expressly lay down all his documents under the title of Tyrannical and uncivil government. Secondly I affirm, all this Marchiavillian art directly to be bend against the common good, whose ruins are made matter for Tyrants to build up their strong castles of princely security▪ Lastly I avouch, the final end and driste of this false policy to be barbarism and destruction of true ci●il●tie. All which things will evidently appear by recital only of some principal s●ate points, upon which all their procedings in menagement of common wealths have support and foundation.  
8 In that some princes refuse to be virtuous in their own persons, or to undergo 
Grounds of profane policy.  labours, to fashion their subjects according to discipline and perfection of pro●●●e: for that such princes in regard of their proper vices, benige made od●ous, may stand in danger of some outrage from the people, nothing being so hateful to the natural indgement of a man as a vicious life, especially in his superior, Therefore in our days hath sprung out a profane and barbaro●se policy, ●ortifi●ing princes in the courses of their waist full pleasures and tyranny, and securing them also from any annoy by subjects, eu●n when they live in losest manner of luxu●●e & prodigality, consuming their own substance, and also that of the communalty So that the ver●e sum and bulck of this politic ●●●e is to bring in vice under colour of virtue, into a common wealth: by ●uill customs whereof, a prince offended by his subjects, may take ●eu●nge of them at his pleasure ●or ●f he fear their united forces in regard of his faulty ca●●age, to disjoin them, that severed into factions, not only they shall no● be of ability to parforme any attempt against his soveranty, but also easily may be impoverished by ta●es and subsidies, subdued and brought under by a fearful and dreadful subjection. To this 
Aug. Epist 3. Qu● nolunt sta●e Remp fi●m●tate vir●utum, sed impun●●te viciorum.  purpose such policy thinketh it good, by mul●pl●citie of faiths, and relligions, to divide the subjects affections, to set them on fi●● of hostile combustion and controversy, that the prince in the me●ne season may discou●● each pa●tie his secrecy, and oppress them all, whilst they be employed in riuel dissension, one against the o●her. whereby also it will c●me to pass, that many of them being proved and convicted offendantes, forfeting their estates, devolution of them may be made v●●o the prince, to the end h● may thereby gratify his especial servants and favourites. Also it is held expedient, that excess of pleasure, in eating, drinking, and venery freely be permitted among subjects: for that they once debauched thereby will not after find any great fault with the prince's carriage, thought never so intemperate, or have any fervent alienation of mind from him featured in manners like unto themselves. Than for that it is the nature of Glotrony and luxu●●e to besot the mind, sub●ectes by such gross delights once surprised will not be able to suspect or percevie any tricks or stragemes of policy, lying in coua●ture of painted equity, attending their ruin and destruction, but improvidently will rush upon the picks, even when they imagine themselves most assured: one will be r●dd●e ●●ill to accuse and betrade the other: they w●ll likewise be devoid of all courage and resolution to defend or procure the common good, which is the proper a●d inseparable effect of ●a●all ●nd material contentementes in all communities. whereupon besotted and enf●obled hearby, they may easily be turned whither it shall please the prince's hand to divert ●he stern of his empire and commandrie To which purpose is much available, that the prince depressing good and virtuous men, only perfect to honours and places of government under him, such as are vicious and loathsome. ●ffo● hereby shall he be first assured, that such persons riased to height of authority by him, will never enterprise any thing against his estate, as well for that they are base minded, ●s also in regard that they be not beloved by others, in reckoning of their known turpitude, and so will never band faction strengthened by numbers of friends and dependants: Than on the other side, they will continually offer themselves, as reddle pressed instruments, to accomplish any designment of the prince, be it never so tyrannical, barbarous or abominable. These be the principal and fundamental heads of state policy, now as rebelling against the Catholic Roman faith, so also infesting virtue, civility, whose end and issue is barbarity and im●●anitie of life, finally expiring into a Scythian manner of solitary thievish pillage. m●k●nig men even wea●●e at length o● Cities and commonwelthes, so annoyed by fact●ons, frauds and rapines: and 'cause them rather to desire mountains and forests, where they may live with some liberty and contentment. Of which practices thus uttereth Aristotle his i●dgement: Nullum non s●●l●s ●uo complex●● continent: 
Arist. l. ●. po● cap. 11.  Th●●●●● no wickedness, which is not implied in them. And namely a prince is not to suffer the subjects to know one ●n other by commercement of school and academy, not to trust one an other: he must procure, that they be continually perplexed with fear and suspicion, that they be poo●e and needy, that they behold virtue among them in disgrace, and only admire infamous persons sea●ed aloft to command the good; and so judge ●t to be a bootless study that of virtue; yea hurtful, to which the prince proposeth no reward, but rather beateth it down with oppression, contumely, and reproach.  

Pe●iere mo●●s, ius, de●us, pi●tas, fides. 
Senec. in 〈◊〉   
Et qu●●●dir●, cum p●rit, nes●●t, pud●r.  
Da ●r●na, & om●●m pro●● nequitiam incite.  
P●r s●●l●ra s●●p●r sceleribus ●u●um ●st ●●●r.  
〈◊〉 are dead, with r●ght, p●●●ie, honour, and trust,  
With mod●st shame, which p●●sh● once, ●●●th still i● fatal dust.  
Lose we then the ra●nes, let w●●●dn●●●r●●y ra●●  
To h●●n●st ●r●mes by crimes let ●orn●y ●unne apace.   
9 Antichrist, that mortal ●duersa●●e of Christ, to bring his purpose of iniquity 
Ant●christ useth toow●●pons against the catholic faith. Heresy and ●a●se policy.  intended to height and perfection, in these our days first hath endeavoured by Heretics protestantish, oh inf●oble our holy faith by many errors, to force it into sundry sects and divisions, and so to impair the nob●l●t●● of virtue working by divers ●al●e assertions of h●s ●he decay and misprisall ●herof. Than after for an upshot by a certain race of unnatural and mon●●r●use politicians he now laboureth to persuade, that sin and vice in subjects a●e best and safest means for security of princes: and therefore that w●se & prudent Counsellors are to employ their industry seriously, how they may defile and barbarise the people with ignorance, with abjection of mind and body, with mutual ●a●●ed, with impure lusts and concupiscence: as if Priamus good hap were in no other place to be found, but in the flames and ashes of Troy But good 
Vini●●●●●ll policy  God, how is it repugnant to nature, that the father should plot the destruction of his own children, the shepherd contrive the ruin & rot of his proper sheep, the Captain procure the massacre of his banded soldiers! The prince is a father to his subjects, he is their shepherd, Captain and pilot: may he then retaining the name of a man endeavour to live by their deaths, to loiter by their poverty, flourish by their wickedness, to triumph by their overthrow and damnation▪ may nature be thus armed against itself, and the head conjure the misery and calamity of the members! Here certes Antichrist thinketh to give a great blo● to virtue and true civility, when his harbingers and agentes politicians pre●ent vice shining in glory of gold and purple, as the only mistress of the world, attended on by temporal avails: exclude virtue causing it to drop under the barbarous tyranny of intemperate iniquity: in that men ordinarily poyese at a high rate sovereignty and greatness in a common wealth, whose purchase now they ●ee to be found no other disbursed come, than fraud, and turpitude. Most detestable is he to be accounted. saith Aristotle, who 
Arist. lib. 5. ethic. cap. 1.  is dishonest towards himself, and towards frauds. Contrariwise he is b●st, who in regard of h●mselfe and others doth show virtue: although this be diff●●ulte, and a toilsome thing. Notwithstanding the courage and magnanimity of a prince are indebted to perform this 
Princely hope in a Christian prince.  excellency of a virtuous charge, as well by such virtues, which concern the moderation of his own personal affections, as by temperance, continence, and fortitude, as also the good of others, which have relation to the public, and particular commodity of his subjects: as justice, charity, bounty, magnificence, amity, piety: by whose endeavours Princes do not only accomplish their own duties, but also become amiable to others, and are harboured in their hearts, as in strong and impregnable castles. Of which Princely perfection in virtue, thus Seneca discourseth. It is a decree of nature, 
Seneca Epist. 90. Arist. l. ● 〈◊〉 c. 1.  ●hat things of meaner quality be subject to others of greater dignity. In flocks hold principality either the greatest bodies, or the strongest. The coverdlie bull doth not conduct the heard, but he, who by bigness and broad breast excelleth in the male kind. The most gallant among the elephant's guideth the residue. Among men he is chief, who is best. In those ancient times therefore, a governor was chose● according to the quality of his mind▪ and there upon were they happy, among whom none could be more potent, but be, that wa● better. He may well have authority to do what he list, as Prince, who thinketh, that be can do no more, than he may with equity. Whereupon in those days of the golden world, Posidonius reporteth, that only wise men held principality. These restraining their own might, defended the weaker from oppression of more poverable. They persuaded, they disuaded, but showing what was profitable, what unprofitable. Their prudence was directed to this, that no thing were wanting in their subjects. Their fortitude drove away dangers from them, their bounty increased and adorned their commodities. Their office wa● to command well, but not to be kings. No subject made trial of attempt against them to do them what harm they could, by whom they first had their ability, so that among them was correspondent good obedience. And then a king could never threaten greater revenge against such, who would not obey, as when he made them bellue, that he would quit his kingdom.  
10. Wherefore a Christian Prince laying hold on the virtue Hope, coupled to so 
The resolution of a good Christian Prince.  many strong means and helps, is to resolve, first in his own person to excel in princely exemplaritie of all probity and piety: then to procure that his subjects be graced with the same ornaments of virtue: lastly by the sinouse of virtue and learning to govern them, tying thereby their rebellious hands and spirits from disobedience, and applying them to the performances of all good offices and duties, apertaining to the civility of the common wealth. well may the great lord Turk, wanting a religion and faith of forceible virtue, think upon his labours, stratagems and wickedness, of blood, of ignorance, of base servility & compulsion, of luxury and intemperance, to menage the important affairs of his brutish empire: But Christian Princes, whose hopes are settled on the people of our Redeemer, God and man, enriched with the might of his infinite and precious merits, are to make reckoning of the virtues, as of the sinouse of all their policy; & hearby are so to be animated, that by power of them they may judge if they will, themselves able to perform their own office; and effect that desired end of civil policy, to wit temporal utility in society, to which common wealths are by God and nature ordained. This, this is our golden world, gilded by our Redeemer, of which dreamed Seneca, in which, in the time of the Gospel, under the rule of jesus Christ, are found such potent motives to virtue, and against vice such strong munition, as never before were exhibited to man kind, or in any place appeared. Only now than it belongeth to Princes to be industrious and vigilant, to be less addicted to pleasure and ●ase then their meanest subjects or vassals. Wherhfore Homer very properly induceth Agamemnon, king of the Grecians, worthily rebuked, for that he was found a sleep early in the morning: 
Home●●liad. 1.   

Ha●d decet heroem, ●●i gemtis & ●nica r●●um  
Cura subest, totam somno traducere noctem.  
Of Prince, whose charged is others good, must be a wachfull eye:  
N●r all the night by sluggish rest, in bed he is to lie.   
In this respect the kingdom of the church is called by almighty God in the prophecy 
Daniel. 2,  of Daniel the kingdom of heaven: Almighty God shall suscitate a kingdom of heaven, which shall not be dissipated: in regard of the heavenly power of virtue, dominir●ing and commanding therein among Christians.   

What sufferances the Christian Catholic Hope undergoeth, the same it endureth by true fortitude. Contrariwise all pressures and martyrdoms tolerated by Protestants, are neither passages of Christian Hope, nor enterprises of virtuous courage.  
CHAPTER. VII.  
AS the the Catholic faith by most certain assent of mind emboldeneth Hope to 
The outward appea●●nc● of 〈◊〉 cō●on to catholic and protestant. Aug l 2 count G●●dent c. ●●.  encounter with all occurrent adversity through patience & fortitude: so heresy being an obstinate choice of the understanding and will, countrarieth this resolution in a desperate manner of animosity, prepared to suffer what loss somever, either of goods, life, or liberty: so that on both sides is outwardly sometimes maintained a constant purpose to bear adversity, yet rising out of a different origen, and leveled at a diverse intendment. whereupon seeing that our external sense perceiveth semblable show of virility and firm expectation of reward, as well in the penalties of protestanes, 
The valour of the Catholic hope. Rom. 10. S. Aug. Tract 53. in Ioh● affirmeth Christians to sign their fore heads with the sign of the cross, That they bl●●●e not by faith to profess the name of Christ: the forehead being the ●ea●e of shame fastness. Terror and fear enimles to hope. Aug. l. 1. count Gaudent cap. 16. S●obaens se●. 7. Plutarch d● Soc●▪ D●m●.  as martyrdoms of Catholics, we are now for the present by certain judicious & prudent animadversions to distinguish the constancy of the one, from the obstinacy of the other.  
2. We must then suppose, the Christian faith, although it do formally import no more than a voluntary assent of the mind, given to heavenly mysteries, yet more over in virtue & efficacy to contain in it a valorous spirit of fortitude, to persist still in the outward service of allegiance we own unto almighty God. And hereupon S. Paul avoucheth, that in heart we believing obtain thereby the grace of justification, also confessing by mouth, enjoy health of soul: because the office of faith is to be courageous and constant in averringe that publicly by word, and deed, whose verity inwardly in affection we credit. From which fortitude, (ma●ger all occurrences of fear and persecution) a saving faith can not be divorced. All effeminacy rele●ring, all covardise refusing, all dissimulation concealing, are far estranged from the perfect active and lively spirit of Christian faith: they do rather stop and stay that vigour of visible operation, which to a believer it affordeth. Wherhfore, as the Theological virtue of Hope adorneth man his will being Irascible, appointed to overcome difficulty of enterprise, so doth it much rely on fortitude, placed in the same faculty, fencing and guarding hope from fall of disloyalty against almighty God. A principal object of which fortitude is terror of persecution, iniquity of fraud or violence from those, who hate virtue. Therefore Plato was wont to say, as reporteth Stob●us: If all men were good; there should be no need of fortitude. which defect of goodness, is excess of wickedness in such, as are professed enemies against the servants of almighty God. For as noteth Plutarch, it may well be incident to human fragility▪ upon some occasion to abandon virtue, and pursue pleasure, but to annoy and persecute such as be virtuous, is more than human malice, and an imitation of that deformity, which is proper to the devils, and is the very extremity of offence, to which vicious persons may arrive.  
3. But ou● Christi●n fortitude of hope is of hat remarkable qual●t●e, as thereby we 
Constancy of Christian hope proveth the verity of Christian faith. Arist l. 3. Ethr. c. 7. Plutar. in vit. Age's & Cleom.  prove tow things concerning faith, from which it springeth. Fir●t from hence may be inferred, that a man considered personally, who is to live and due according to reasons rule, as he must not for dread of any danger and ham forsake the office of virtue, follow or profess vice, or error (for otherwise ●is course in goo● endeavours would be uncertain, childish and variable, to the open disgrace of manly dignity, and damage of civil society, every citilen flitting & yielding, as sears shall prescribe) so we may conclude, that the original cause of this valorous constancy of hope, is no human judgement, or natural knowledge, but some divine fai hand persuasion For so uncertain is our science attained unto by study, so perpexed and encumbered with difficulties, that s●w would endure loss of goods, liberty o● life, in maintenance of their own invented intelligence: few would oppose themselves against the favours of mighty persons, the grand anctoritie of esteemed sages gainsaying their conceited inventions. Therefore all lawmakers to engender in men a perfect resolution to persist still even until death, in their credulity, and action thereby decreed, have either feigned themselves Gods, or to have had intercourse of conference with some divinity. Wherefore our sufferences in way of hope, being every where notorious, do prove, that we are led by the guidance of some divine faith and illumination. The other property of our faith, to with the supernatural verity thereof, is from this self same hope strongly deduced. Whereupon the father's considering the infinite multitude of 
Psal 41.  martyrs, their prompt and ready will to endure martyrdom, yea thirsting after it with a most ardent desire, as chased Harry's inflamed by heat of charity desired to bathe themselves in the waters of their own blood: pondering their conditions of race, of sex, of age, of worldly endovemeates: in that they died with an humble and charitable disposition towards God and man: in that they were, as speaketh S Cyprian highl●e low, and lowly high, small, yet vigorous, or fiery as a mustard seed, as 
Cipt. Exhort ad Mattir. Greg. praef. in c. 3. ioc.  speaketh S. Gregory, averring against the Pagans' the truth of the gospel hereupon, and of the divinity of our Redeemer: prudently demeing it not to be a thing conformable to the sweet providence of Almighty God, to permit men, women, and children, in such main troops, so purely sekeing for his only glory, to perish and melt away in pain and calamity for asseveration of falsi●e, or of any human deluding opinion. What they maintained in judgement had no relish of their own proud 
Marc. Aurel. in sua vita. Gaten. li 3. de pulls differett. justin. Apol 1 add Senat Ters li. cont. Pcaxeam. Lactant. lib. 5. divinar. inst. ca 13. 14 Chrisost. Hom. quod Christus sit Deus. De sancto Babila. Basil. or●. de 40 martyr. Aug in Ps 47. Cipr Exhort ad mattir.  invention, whilst they only regarded the fountain of their believed verity in the person of our saviour Christ, in the commanding authority of his catholic church. It had no unseemly declination from reason to impute lust or voluptuous baits, but rather withdrew their affections from thence, resolved them to take a course against nature's stream, and inclination, aiming only and wholly at virtue, and imitation of the divinity. Which motives being unknown to M. Aurell. and Galen, they attributed all Christian valour to obstinacy: as of late some did judge of the unconquerable martyrdom of certain catholic priests to ishew from bravery of an haughty spirit. From hence in proof of the Christian faith drew a forceible argument S. justin martyr. Tertullian, Lactantius, S. Chrisostom. S. Basil, and others. S Augustin thus declareth the estate and quality of ancient martyrs. What hath prevailea against them the temptations of cruel terantes? the received violence as well from the eyes of their weeping friends, as from the hands of persequ●tors. How many were held back by their own children from martyrdom? How many of their wives prostrate at their feet, beseeched them not to leave them desolate? How many parents endeavoured to hinder their children from suffering death, as we know and read in the passion of S. perpetua? Therefore the excellency of mattirdome is thus declared by S. Cyprian what thing is therso high and exceliente, as among so many instruments of tormenting executionars, by strong battle of faith to preserve truth! what thing so great and amiable, as amids so many glaves of standers by, with reitetated voices to profess the lord of his liberty, and auctor of his Redemption! whereupon diverse of the fathers, namely S. Cyprian, and S. Augustin affirm, the blood of martyrs to be the seed of the church: and that in too 
Aug. in psal. 8 HOw martyrs blood is seed of the church  respects: first because martyrs by their merit and sacrifice of their lives, much pleasing almighty God, have been mediators thereby to apply his gracious benenolence unto many: yea with S. Stephen to their persecutors. Moreover men considering their invincible courage, their humble, yet magnanimous charity in suffering death, have prudently esteemed that faith and religion as true and divine, in cause whereof such of their sort have patiently sustained torments and loss of life.  
4. Antichrist bearing high wrath and indignation against the palm of martyrdom, 
Heretics enemies in martyrdom Euseb. l. 6 hist. cap. 18 Aug. l. de haeres. c. 2 haeres. 7.  the flowet of fortitude, by sundry practices of his sectaries, hath holy endeavoured either to hinder the course of it, or to disgrace what it performeth. To which project certain heretics in the primitive church, as writeth Eusebius, and S. Augustin, termed Helcheesites, and Priscillianistes, sought to rebate Christian valour, and maintained as allow able, that the faithful with all indemnity from fault, or damage of justice, might by word, or work deny their faith, retaineing in heart and soul in them mean while, an in ward persuasion of the truth thereof, and devotion thereunto. In effect this heresy of base covardise, and of denial of that visible and corporal duty we own unto almighty God, was long before professed in the turpitude of the Gnostickes, or infamous Puritans; who as they thought no turpitude of sin to work harm against the sunny beam of their justification, and election, so deemed they, no renegacie of foreswering of faith to endamgae their estate of perfection: as we may understand from S. Iren 
Ire l. 1. EPiphan l 1. haeres. 26 24 Tertull scorpiac.  S. Epiphamus, and Tertullian. But this foul disgracious heresy is first reproved by the words of our saviour Christ, who threateneth, that his heavenly father shall deny such to be his children and servants at the latter day, who here in this life shall renounce their allengeance as concerning the profession of his name. whereupon the 
Math. 102  Apostle S. Paul accoumteth this public protestation of faith, as necessary unto salnation. Than the same verity may well be inferred upon consideration of man his nature: 
Rom. 10.  who as he consisteth of body and soul, so is he to perform his subjection and homage dew unto Almighty God, both by inward action of mind and heart, and also by generous fortitude of member & limb. Likewise in that fortitude is a perfection apertaining to christian function, he must needs serve from this virtue, who surprised with fear, or environed with terror, shall leave his place, abandon his voved task, and for sake undutifulie his chiefest lord and prince. And seeing that in the fabric of man, body and soul are so coupled, that the body is not only joined to the soul, but appointed subject thereunto in degree of subordination, most absurd shall it seem, and repugnant to this union, if the body shall run from that truth by recantation of mouth, which the soul embraceth by belief, which the heart prizeth at highest rate by love and affection: man hereby remaining devoid of fortitude, by his natural parts 
Pride & impatience in herickes have disgraced treyye mattirdome. Aug. de haeres. c. 69. lib. 3. count Epist. patmen.  hunting, as it were, counter, distracted by pursuict, and flight, the prince holding one course, and the vassal a contcaire,.  
5. Other Heretics by an invention of a quite opposite disposition have endeavoured with animosity, pride, impatience, and plain phrency to impeach the glorious virtue of martyrdom. Such were in Aphrick certain erring persons, who had their race from the Donatists, and Petelians, called Circumcellians, and others, as we may understand from S. Augustin. Whose fury was so great, as that their expectations frustrated, either they would kill themselves by fire, water, doounefalles, or force others to boucher them; as reporteth Theoderetus: in this madness im●tatinge the barbarous 
Theodot. de Haetet Fabulis Aug. l. deunit. Eccles c 19 li. 1. count. Gaud. cap. 26 17. Clem. Alex. l. 4 Strom Aug. Tract. 6. in johan. c. 1. Tract. 11. ● 3 Aug li. cont. Gaudent. c 4. ●8. 1●.  Gymnosophists of India, of whom writeth Clemens Alexandrin But there is no need to remove this scandalle of unnaturrall fact from true fortitude, it proceeding both from excess of extreme passion, and also weakness of courage: whilst men not being able to support disgrace, or disaster, contrive the remoueall thereof by their untimely deaths, covardly rather running away from adversity, then manly withstanding the same, as noteth S Augustin.  
6. The protestants also of our days in sundry manners labour to debase this principal office of fortitude in martyrdom, whose several documents & practices thereunto belonging, we shall now recount. First then the protestant accordeth in this with the old gnostic and Puritan, that to a faithful believer no bad fact is reputed by almighty God: or that it worketh any detriment of loss or extenuation unto his received justice. Therefore they avouch, that S. Peter denying his master Christ was not thereby damnifyed in respect of grace and favour with almighty God. Whereupon Calnin confesseth, that the elect people of God did outrwardlie profess the religion of the pope & Antichrist without misprision to their sanctity one jot by it endamaged. Upon which impious conceit, as consequent, must needs follow, that men be potently inclined to perform this renegacie, when occasion of lucre, or threats from tyrants 
Protestants do profess that public denial of faith hurteth not.  appear. For when esteem of spiritual impeachement by profession of a false religion and faith is not present, when indemnity from that hurt, which is sole and principal in weight, presenteth itself this foul yielding up the body to error and superstition, what remaineth as fufficient ability to restrain weak men's appetite from the same? Whereupon in An●werpe I have known anabaptists, puritanes, and protestants repair ordinarily to Catholic Churches, and outwardly by their presence and gestures there profess the Catholic religion: the same daily and vevably to be performed by the French Huguenot, public testimony affirmeth, A great strong relish of this impiety hath that which the Centuriators protestants blame in the fathers of the 
Ceturiat. C●t. 3 c. 4.  primitive church, to wit that they to much by their praises extolled martyrdom. Also Caluin in his first and second Epistle of a book entreating of Christian office, promiseth security to men of his profession, although outwardly they seem in our churches Catholic and Roman. which heresy of the Helchesire by fact and credulity revived in the protestant, as it is repugnant to man's nature, to christian fortitude, so also it is opposite to good civility and policy. For what religion can a prince expect as solid and firm of his subject, when he beholdeth him to be as diverse and various therein as a Protheus, as a Chameleon, as a marigoulde giring after the conduct of the son, having in his hand the golden rod of Mercury by touch to turn every religion to his own commodity? How can he judge such men to be of great and brave spirit in wars, or in any other civil exploiet, who so fraielly yield to each blast of adversity or utility, in the cause of almighty God? And for that all other virtues are grounded upon faith and religion, if these be mutable and changeable upon every occurrence, no virtue will or can hold a constant course towards the atchevement of the common good. whereupon Tertullian with very approvable reason avoucheth Christians to be the best Martialistes in the world in an allowable quarrel: for that with undaunted minds they dread not by effusion of their vital blood, to maintain in 
Tert in Apoll. c. 37. Euseb. li 1. de vita Const c 50. Zom lib 1. Hist. cap. 6. Aug in Ps. 34  martyrdom the truth of the Gospel, and profession thereof: For what wary had wbene unsit, or wreddie, yea although in noumberi inferior to the enemy, who so willenglie in martyrdom lose our lives? Therefore the pagans had no just reason to repute Christians as stothfull and base minded in regard of war, or patience in suffering. where somever the pagans meet with a Christian, faith S. Augustin, there they insult upon him, provoke him, and mock him, calling him a dullard, senfles, and a man of no courage or heart. The Emperor Constantius when he made some show, as if such Christians should be dear unto him in his court, who for his love should forsake by outward sign Christian religion, and follow that of the Ethnic, having thereby gained many to his part and rank, others refusing to make any such protestation of infidelity, he rejected these 
Euseb. in Vita Constan. c. ● & 10.  renegates, affirming prudently, that they would never be true unto him, who were so disloyal to their Creator: and contrariwise accepted into his service and familiarity such Christians, which manfully persisted in their vocation & profession, as persons in any good attempt resolout and valerouse. But here we are to distinguish the noble sincere spirit of charity seen in martyrdom, from a barbarous insensibility or inhumanity of Scythians, and other Northern people, who are termed by the ancient, mortis amatores, lovers of death. And by how much a nation hath the more entered into 
Lucá. l. ● vers. 3●3.  barbarism and feritie, by so much the more it contemneth death, and valueth at the smaller rate loss of life: and this thing is apparent in the Turk, either deminge nothing to succeed life expired, or reputing mere childish fantasies of devised pleasures to be reward of a desperate dispense thereof. To which protestantish impeshement of 
A Protestant will hardly among Christians be a martyr.  martyrdom is also available the distinction betwixt fundamental faith, and that of an other nature: in that according to the same, no contrariety to divine truth, never so obstinately defended or professed against the Church, making a man an heretic, it may semee a thing indifferent for a protestant to hold profession of his faith either in Geneva, or in Rome, with the Graecian schismatic and heretic, or the Catholic: no thing being against stomach, or against a saving faith. Which largure of belief and vain religion may well preserve a Protestant from the blow of martyrdom, having still a starting hole of some faith not fundamental for his escape.  
7. Lastly English protestant paralleling and comparing his martyrs, as Husites in Bothemia, valdesians in Burgundy, Sacramentarians & Solifidians in smithfield of London, with ours, which died in sundry places, and namely in England under king Henry the eight, Queen Elizabeth, and king james, suffering in cause of the Catholic and Roman faith, imagineth to work outs dishonour of crime & treachery, & for thirs to wreathe a victorious crown of eternal memory. Wherefore in regard of the virtue hope, it shallbe requisir to balance each party's blood, endurance, and constancy, and so by a prudential examen try out, where is to be found the true gold of martyrdom, and where the dead ashes of counterfeit insolency and temerity.  
8. No man can so absurdly think, that men either by mere sufferance of pain, or 
The cause of martyrdom.  that any by schism, heresy, Apostasy, or infidelity exiled or separated from the Church may perform the sincere work of martyrdom. For if to be a martyr tolerance of penalty were only sufficient, than the devils should be martyrs, as saith S. Augustin, 
Aug. l. 1. cont. ep. parmen. l. 2 cont. lit. p●● till. ca 93. 98.  when the Emperors by fire and sword forced them out of their temples. And hereupon when the Donatists vaunted of the great number of their martyrs, they were thus justly reprehended by S. Augustin: Let them first prove themselves no heretics, or schismatics, and than let their envious tongues complain of their unjust punishments: then let them dare to brag of themselves as martyrs of truth, when they endure afflication. For we must suppose, that heretics, schismatics, & infideles are devoid of charity, without which S. Paul pronounceth no sufferance in the burning fire to avail, but to be in effect just 
1. COr. 23.  nothing. furthermore that human prudence may descry the proper spirit of fortitude 
Disposition proper to a martyr. Aug. l. 1. cont. Gaud. c. 20.  and martyrdom in a patiented endurer, it must have an eye to his disposition and carriage. For what admirable fortitude is there in him, who upon a senseless desperation, with ostentation of pride and vain glory, with intemperate hear of wrathful ire and revenge, suffereth torments or death? It followeth then, that comparatiuèly we discuss the disposition of each party, arising from the cause of penalty or damage of life, equally on both sides sustained. Whereupon S. Augustin proveth the sufferances of they Donatists to have been no martyrdom, or penalties endured for faith, or Christ, in that they, as protestants now do, did resist the faith of that church, which was spread over the face of the earth.  
9 First then in reckoning of the Princes enacting penal and bloody laws against 
Difference betwixt Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth in regard of penal laws for religion  offenders, diversity in them of minds are to be considered; on the one side might and violence in distemperature of i●e for revenge, on the other justice with mild moderation proceeding to repress abuses. Queen Marie, of happy and blessed memory, decreed no new statute offensive to the lives of protestants, but only put in executisuch as were gravely ordained before, generally received and practised in all christian common wealths. But king Henery the eight, and his daughter Elizabeth, in matter of religion ennacted new laws against life and blood of Catholics, which in their days knew no light, or were ever in use and vigour at any Christian tribunal. Moreover Queen Marie in this kind of case spiritual shed no protestants blood, but where the cause was before by general Counsels condemned as heresy, and judged worthy of so sharp a punishment. But king Henry, and Elizabeth in matter of faith and religion, deprived Catholics of their lives, and their corpse of Christian burial, when their cause was not first tried at any competent bench, nor censured by any general Counsel as heresy, or by Canon of the Church ●●med worthy of death or punishment. So that Queen Marie, although by form of justice had slain triple 
Si terret●tur, & non, doce●●tur, improba quasi do minatio vi deretur. Aug. Epist. 48.  the number of us Catholics suffering under Queen Elizabeth, or king james, yet had she been far from all violence, her manner of process considered: and such succeeding princes, which have massacred us, are rightly to be styled cruel and violent, punishing that work in us with death, which justly never was by good authority misprised as false, or censured as heretical. What greater cruelty, what more stormy violence, then to kill us for that fact, which is allowable and warranted at this day in the church by her general Counsels and practices! Heresy dominiring, assuredly is not acquanited with sound wit, or conversant with equity or verity, but only rusheth out with furious Mars in passion, seeking rather to everthrow gainsayers, then to convert them, to murder them, then to reconcile their persons.  
10. After it shall be to this effect behofefull, to ponder and way the different qualities 
Personal differences betwixt Catholic martyrs of late in England, and such protestates which for heresysuffered death in times past.  of these patiented parties on both sides: whereby prudence in her prospect may better arrive through judgement to the true virtue of constancy. Those who have entered as priests in misson to serve in the harvest of our country for recovery thereof, for the greater number were, & are by blood gentlemen: who before they forsook their native soil, had good and liberal education: they well understood what misery therein was sustained by Catholics, and how that returning home sacred with holy orders, they were to expect no other entertainment, then in continual labour, in danger, in prison, in martyrdom When they had in foreign parts sufficiently furnished themselves through collegiall discipline, diligent course of studies in Philosophy and Theology, then might they be valued justly as intelligent persons, and well talented: and such, as upon ignorance or temerity would not pursue an enterprise of that peril and weight, as is the Apostolical entry into England. And as all these spiritual harvest m●n had one commanding rule of faith, so therein did they all accord, they fought manfully, and died courageously in one and the self same cause and quarrel of the catholic Church. Who if they would have yielded but a little to the adversary, they might not only have saved their lives, but also have been partakers of many temporal commodities. When they came to the period of the tragedy, as they accomplished their martyrdoms with undaunted fortitude, so with profound humility, with ardent charity praying for their deadly enemies, and freely forgiving their bloody and sacrilegious trespass. On the other quarter Protestants, which suffered under Queen Marie, except some few Apostatical priests, were almost all rude, base, unlettered, artisans, cobblers, Curriers, & such like rascality: who besides the arrogant vaunt of their own proud spirits, had nothing of substance to say for their faiths, only reviling in immodest terms catholic pastors, & their religion, with a desperate barbarous breath 
Father People Example of Fox his calendar c 3 cap. 5. num. 7. 8.  calling for the fire and the faggot; whose spirits were not only unlearned and turbulent, but also of sundry suits and fashions, agreeing no more in the fire in matter of belief, then doth on the gridiron a herring and a carbinado in substance of meat. What consentment was among them? was it in fire and smoke, in which the devils, damned souls, in hell do accord? when they came to the stake, good God, what reviling and fuming words they breathed, how little they prayed, what confidence of salvation had they in bags of gonepouder tied about their bodies, what triumphs they song of their victories in disputations against doctors and Bishops, what delight took they, that 
The disposition which is proper to a martyr not found in any Heretic.  much and frequent assembles should behold them shine in the flames, and from thence hear them a main cry out against superstition and idolatry? where may any prudent search here find ground of piety and heavenly doctrine in the sufferances of these Bedlam and idiot offenders?  
11 But what I shall now rehearse is chief in this trial, and even to the very eye of natural judgement shall yield an argument to approve the true fortitude of our martyrs, and condemn the extreme mad sufferances of protestantish delinquentes, wherefore if one should behold some one sect master, dying or burning for an opinion coined 
Aug. l. 3 count pa●men. c 3.  in the forge of his own fancy, he might probably think, such a one to exceed in pride, vain glory, and arrogant obstinacy, in that popularly it seemeth a thing both rare and prisable for one before all others beside to pretend particular illumination 
Calen. l 3 de 〈◊〉 different. Aug. l. de unit ecclesiae c. 20. Sunt multi qui ●actan●er ●●●ud faciun●, non ●um charitate. Tract 6. in joan cap. 1. Bernard. serm. 6●. in Cantic They had cloven t●ges of sundry sects, but not the Do●e of unity & charity August. Tract. 6. in johan cap. 1. In columb 2 unitas, in ling●is gentium societas.  in divine mysteries, for one before the residue to challenge to himself great and secret conference with the holy ghost. In regard whereof S. Augustin reproved worthily Donatists as extremely proud and arrogant, who being buta few in Aphrick, condemned all the Christian world beside, accounting themselves as solid grain, others as light as chaff. And hereupon to gain this principality, man his haughty mind is often times strongly against public authority armed, and obstinately resolved. whereupon in matters of lower quality, as of physic and philosophy, as Galen noteth, divers inventors of new opinions have been as pertinacious (according to his words) as I●ues and Christians are in profession of their faiths constant and unremovable. Therefore to behold a sectmaister dye or fry for his religion & belief, who with they Donatists doth condemn the whole world, can not be an argument very efficatiouse for a judicious person to dame his death martyrdom, or his couradge an effect of a divine & heavenly persuasion. For which cause S. Bernard recounting how the Abligenses heretics went merrily to the loss of their lives, and seemed much to desire the same, giveth this advertisement: Wherefore the constancy of martyrs, and pertinacity of heretics are nothing like. for that piety doth work the contempt of death in the one, and hardness of heart in the ●ther. But no protestant suffering death in England under queen Marie, or in other places, did in any divers sort endure the pain, then according unto the proper tenor of spirit in a sect master, Therefore such sufferances, according to prudent esteem, were rather animosiries then moderation, expressions of pride, than fruits of humility. For not only did they by a private judgement deduce out of Scriptures false and heretical senses, contrary to the decree and doctrine of the visible church in general counsels, but also in their confidence they did not rely on the authority of the first inventors, as of Luther, and Caluim, whom they thought, being but men, might as well be subject to error, as the pastors of the Roman church, every one of them according to the form of sectmaisters and Archeheretickes, having. recourse, as to pillar and anchor, alone unto their own particular spirits, not doubting with the Donatists to style the catholic church spread over the face of the earth, an 〈◊〉, and an human invention, 
Aug De Ge●●● cum Eme●●● lib 〈◊〉 Ga●●. ca 33. 36.  as of the Donatists reporteth S. Augustin. Which thing being odious, and in any good society intolerable, no wisdom of a considerative person, may esteem their embraced or desired deaths, to be martyrdoms, or certain signs of any supernatural illumination in them. wherefore deservedly was their proud folly punished by the fire, it being a thing most absurd, that every jack Dave, or joane pie, in a common wealth, should contradict the general sense of faith and religion in the same. And in particular, seeing that the protestantish heresy, is not only in opposition against truth, but is also a strong bias declining to sensuality, to rebellion; to which the vulgarity of people are very prove, and so consequently a bane to civility, the fruit and effect of severe discipline, of virtue, jest that such a flattering sect, like a Cancer creeping a long, should disturb peace & unity, tender unto men's hands & mouths the Babylonian strumpetes cup, replinished with sweet liquor of unclean pleasure, by death it is most justly to be chastised, and extinguished, if not otherwise amended. Right well did S. Augustin prove, that the Donatists did not suffer for justice sake, but but rather in regard of their impious wickedness. and therefore when the vaunted of their righterouse cause, S. Augustin thus reproved them: you have great matters, the which you may brag of, as of justices: to wit the division of Christ, the evacuation of Christ his 
Aug l ●. count. Gaudent. c. 35.  sacraments, the forsaking of Christian peace, cr●mitations against the Spoves of Christ, the denial of the promises of Christ. All which parts of donatistical justice agrefullie and completly 
Protestantish justice.  to broiling protestants, who have hereticallie Divided Christ into sundry factions, who have abandonded the peace of the universal church, waging wariagainst her: who have impeached the number and efficacy of sacraments, who have Disquictted all Christian repose, who have persecuted the members of Christ, who have accused the spoucs of Christ as an adulteres, as an idolaters, as an human invention, as a slave to Antichrist: who have frustrated divine promises concerning the extent, the infallibility, the continuance of the Church, with they Donatists reclaiming all to the corner congregations of themselves: and so enduring death for heresy, are no honester men, than they, or better martyrs than they. Doubtless it must needs seem a fault very punishable, when one private person, to the empeachement of the gospel, and destruction of many, shall dare to maintain a private opinion against the whole Church. 
S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 10. ar. 6. The malice of heresy. Si passa es o pars calvini corporalem afflictionem a● Ecclesia Catholica, a Sara passa es Agat: redi ad 〈◊〉. Aug. Tract. ●●. in joan. cap ●. Aug l 2●. cor ● Gaudent. c. 12.  Which malice of an heretic considering the Angelical Doctor S. Thomas, affirmeth, that it doth pass in odious quality that which is to be found in an obstinate Pagan, or an Apostata. For although an heretic doth not so far depart from divine truth, believing some mysteries of the Christian faith, as doth an Apostata, or an Ethnic renouncing all, yet his personal disposition is worse, more hatefulll, and more wilfully culpable, because he admitting some points of faith, by which, he might be reclaimed, as scriptures, and certain definitions of the church, in that after he refuseth thereby to be reform, as his conversion also in that respect aught to be easier, then that of the Ethinck, acknowledging no grounds of Christianity, out of which he might be refuted, thereupon the heretics obstinacy and wilful pride are more detestable and condinglie liable ●o sharper correction. Wherefore concludeth S. Thomas: simply speaking, the infidelity of heretics is worst of all. Therefore unto protestants enduring death in catholic places may be fitly applied the saying of S. Augustin: Your persequnter loveth you, and your oven fury doth persequnte you he desireth your light, this eggeth you 
The proprieties of Catholic martyrs signified by the types of grace, a ●oue, nerytongues, and mustard seed. Ergo ne Spiritu sanctificati dolum habeant, in columba demonstrate est● ne simph●●tas frigida ●emaneat, in igne demonstratum est. Aug. Tract. 6. in joan cap. ●. By the Dove is signified a Charitable unity, by fiery tongues a courageous vi 〈…〉.  to destruction.  
12. But on the other side appear not in our martyrs any remonstrance or token of any mositie, of pride, or va●ne glory, but rather in them shine out contrary virtues, as humilit●e, charity, contempt of worldly praise and estimation. In which regard, no show of a spirit incident & proper to a sect master was vevable in them, to any discreet consideration: for in the cause, for which they suffered, they did not pretend any thing as their own prerogative by mention, election or choice, but were most willing to suffer for such verities, which from authority of others they had dutifully received: unto which they professed their humble obeisance and subjection. So then their persons valued, as in number many, in quality mild, intelligent, well lettered, their spirits nothing savouring of private conceit, of rebellion, or obstinacy against great authority: after this their doctrine scanned, as teaching obedience, mortification, charity, and in sum all other vetues, their fufferances will amount to the confection of an argument, to prove the verity of the catholic faith, most and unanswerable.   

Seeing that our Christian hope is a firm expectation of supernatural beneuclences, purchased for us by our Saviour Christ God and Man, hereupon it followeth, that no sort of men alienated from out Catholic Church, hath so certain a repose in the mercy of Almighty God, as we. which assurance, and establishment, by the Protestant, to that purpose addressed by Antichrist, is in sundry respects weakened and diminished.  
CHAPTER. VIII.  
AS the sacred & most magnificent benefit of the holy Incarnation giveth unto believers 
Christian hope in Almighty God.  singular & great motives of ardent charity towards almighty God, as in the third part shall be discussed, so also never in the world to any sort of people appeared any such strong efficacy of hope & expectation in divine assistance, as we Christians enjoy, crediting this admirable support, through the Incarnation of the second person in Trinity our Redeemer, Christ Jesus'. If we consider the quality of almighty God, as our Creator, we shall conceive an effectual hope thereby of his manifold succourse in all our wants and distresses. For he doth not, as many unnatural parents do, casting away from their care and tuition the child borne of their own bowels: but we once having from him our being, and necessary furniture of operation, are continually by his goods assisted, protected, sustained from decay, and erected after miscarriage, whereupon he compareth himself in the old Testament by the mouths of his prophets, to an Eagle, not only enticing his young ones to flight, but also flying 
Deut. 52.  over them, and by protection of his shelding wing defending them from the violence of the air or heavens, yea he maketh protestation, that if a mother should be unregardfull of her own child, or a noble virgin forget the decentattire of her body, yet that 
Hierem. 2.  he would not abandon his servants, or be unminde full of their avails, and ornaments. In cogitation whereof we forsake the school of such minute philosophers, who deemed almighty God immediately only to have created the heavens, as his own court 
Philosophers in separation from God.  and mansion place, committing the creation of man, the direction of all his endeavours, with other things under the moon, to the workmanship of smaller Gods; or to the moan itself with the Egyptians, as we may understand by Plutarch, Lactantius and Eusebius. 
Plutarch. li. 1. de plac●t philos ca 4. de Isid. & O●●●. Euseb 〈◊〉 11. praepar ca 15. Lact●●t. ●● de O●●g enous. ● 6 C●●l 1. de Natu●. deore. He●m●as tom 4. Bid, Sauctae pag. 155 Zach. abide. Matth. 11. joan 1. 1. Cor. 8.  we teiect the commentaries of the Epicures, as of Lucret●us & others, who ascribe the constitution of world, and consequently the ordinance of human actions to the original concourse of certain sinal indivisible moots, conglobated in one mass and bulcke of this visible sabrick of things: as is recounted by Hermias, and Zacharias Bishop of Malta. And therefore we have recourse in hope to our beginning, not to Angels, not to moots, not to elements, but immediatl●e to almighty God: saying with our Saviour. I contesse unto thee, o● father, lord of heaven and earth. And with the Apostle: All things are made by him, There is one father, from whom all things, and we unto him. And as we behold this sovereign God our first auctor, so make we his immedite gracious help matter of our hope and consolation▪ not confining our expectations herein in the sole virtue of any creature. Also that our confidence in almighty God may be more assured, we acknowledging in him power of our creation, not necding any precedent matter, as artificers do to support their works (unworthly so conceving of God Seneta) So also we behold him in his goodness and bounty infinite, 
Sense. Epi. 6●.  without circumscription of measure: and consequently our trust in him is mors firm, whose merciful influence streameth our naturally from the ocean of his infinity. Neither can it be traversed or dammed up by any obstacle or encumbrance what somever. We reprove Aristotle his opinion of divine providence, as not sufficiently theological, who as writ Minu●. Felix and S. Cirill, thinked almighty God to work by necessity 
Minute Foelix in octa Ci●ll. catech. 8.  of his nature, and thereupon having once created the world, to have left the directory of man's actions, and all our hopes in the bovels and concatenations of natural causes: as if our hope were to expect nothing from God, which is not already decreed in nature, & enfolded in the womb of her enclosures. For we believe our Savioar Christ saying, that both he, and his father, work even now: and that on them is to be cast 
johan. 5.  the whole prospect of our hopeful expectation. Notwithstanding foam passages we have in Aristotle, which insinuat that almighty God doth immediately by freedom of his own choice order human affairs: as when into bodies, disposed by generation, he 
Arist l. Magn. Moral. c. 7. & ●. l. 10. Ethio.  inserteth reasonable souls: when by certain excited cogitations men are by him provoked to actions, whose successes make them fortunate. Likewise we reject such restraint of help from almighty God, the which bordereth course thereof with the magnitude of human affairs: as if others smaller moment were by him abandoned, The 
Cieer● l. 1. de ●at. deorum.  Gods, saith C●ceto, tore for great things, but neeglect smaller matters, Where's we are taught to believe, that the flight of the jest bird in the air, yea the falling of a leaf from a tree, or a hair from the head of a man never so contemptible not to happen without his immediate 
Luc. 12. Math. 5. Act. 17. Nature appointed & altered 〈◊〉 Almighty God in his provi d●cetowa●▪ des man. Aug l. 1. de Grat. & ●●rbit. ca 20. Psa 〈◊〉 10. de legibus. Theod. lib. de provident. Cic. l. 2. de nat. Dear Plut. l. desapt●●st ●● Sense. l. 2. Nat. quest. Pausan in phocid. Senec li. 3. de Benesici●s. ca 7. lib 2 Nat. q. 37 Eus l. 6. praep. cap ● Aug. li. 5. Ciu. cap. 8. ovid. Metamorph. 15. Placit peneg●vic. ad The▪ odos. Pausanias' in Eliaca.  providence and disposition. And herein we comfort ourselves in that as it were we being but emmats in his sight, yet are regarded so by his never sleeping eye, protected by his puissant, and ever extended arm: and hereupon with a dutiful admiration, we as creatures under the coverture of his wings and ●●stled in his goodness, cry out unto him: What is man that thou hast made thy self known unto him, or the son of man, that thou dost visit him! Even unto this divine reliance of Christians hope in all affairs, never so small, arrived the Philosophy of Plato, as reporteth Theodoretus. Neither let us so think God to b●a workman, in●erior to those of mortal condition, who do exactly accomplish such works as be convenient ●or their uses, be they great or little: and yet to repute that almighty God, although most wise, and of ability and will to care for all, with more case to provide for matters of great reckoning, than he can forthinges of smaller account: as if we were to think him slothful and resty by reason ●o● labour, seeking for repose, and by ease to restore his strength Whereupon the Epicures possessed with conceit of almighty God his neglect of our events, appearing to him of minute moment and consideration, did never, as record, Cicero and Plutarch in good earnest by prayer and religion make recourse unto his goodness, but only in outward show of hypocrisy seemed so to do, to avoid the evil will of the popularity, But jupiter, as saith Seneca, May we●● be called the best, and greatest, the thunderer also, and the stauner: not for that, as● stor●es report, after religious voves of the Romans, he made their flying arm to stay, but rather he is termed the stanner, because all th●nges stand by his beneficence. Whereupon as witnesseth Pausanias, subiter was painted with three eyes, for that his providence reigned in heaven, on earth, and in the water. And although Seneca doth not absolutely deny divine providence over our affairs, yet in this is he blame worthy, that he will not have it an immediate cause of all human events, but only to work them by satalitie of natural causes interposed and combined together by itself, and to no farther effect, then may from thence have issue and origen: as of the Stoics in general avouch Eusebius, and S. Augustin.  

Cernis hic volumine vasto  
Ex are, & sol●do rerum tabularia ferro?  
In might●e volume of razed extent digested be,  
Engra●● in brass, and solid non, that time shall see.   
And to signify the unchangeable and wearing force of fate, they painted it out, as telleth us Pausanias in similitude of a fury, having teeth as dreadful as any cruel beast, & long nails at the fingers ends. But excellent this respect is the conceit of S. Ambrose, who compareth almighty God in his care over all things great and small, 
Amb. l. 1. offic●orum. c. 14. de Apoll. Dau●d. ca 2.  unto the son, which as it bringeth forth as well the weed, as the flower, the shrub, as the Cedar, so doth it by gracious influence nourish and foster them continually and immediately.  
2. So then as we regard almighty God, most sweet & floving in goodness towards 
Christ● hope erected to God artired with our nature.  us, considered even in his own proper nature & quality, so likewise looking upon him by faith, inue●ed with our mortality, we behold him yet as more near aproching unto us, more familiar with us, more indulgent, careful, and bountiful towards us: so that if there be any bitterness of his justice, the which before we might apprehended irksome, now we may behold it to be with the orange peel steeped and cand●ed in the liquor and sugar of our substance, and blood of the virgin Marie, made unto us altogether comfortable and delicious: the stately title of the lord of hosts exchanged into the name of the son of man, of jesus, of our brother, our friend, our lamb, our Nazareth, & sacrifice, Of what comfortable news was Evangelist S. Marry. Magdalene takeinge this in charge from our Saviour his mouth, after his glorious resurrection: Go unto my brethren, and tell them, I ascend unto my father, and your father my God, and your 
joan. 20. Bed. Hom. in vigil Paschat.  God Upon which place thus commenteth venerable Beede: O wonderful piety of our Saviour, oh strange benigni●e, whom before his passion his custom was to call disciples, and sometimes servants, a●ter his resurrection he calleth brethren, that he might show himself to be of the same humanity resumed, of which he was before, that he might erect them to merit and hope in his flesh the crown of immortality, which now ●e had purchased for them! Also our Saviour signifying a certain commerce and common interest in almighty God betwixt himself and us through his person and desert, he added that he departed to his father, and our father, his God, and our God. O blessed and fortunate combination, as it were of fellowship and consanguinity betwixt us and the son of God: thereby being made the eternal father our father, and his father, our God, and his God: so that by what power and worth the son of God is of force with his father, by what efficacy his precious merits are available for himself, by the same w●ightes of dignity, by the same strength of ability, he is also comfortable and beneficial unto us! The holy Apostle S. Paul oftentimes in cultateth this our hopeful encouragement to live & strive in God his service against all tempests of temptation, as in that we are the very house of Christ, in which he dwelleth, and so better to be povided for then were the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Israelites, under patronage and conduct of Moses, Christ being God and lord of his household. Moses' only being a faithful servant therein: for we are made participantes of Christ. Having therefore an high Bishop, who hath penetrated the heavens, ●e●us the son of God, let us hold our Consesion: for we have not a Bishop, that cannot have compassion of our infirmities, being tempted in all respects by similitude without sin, Let us therefore with confidence go unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in opportune help. By his holy example of life we see before our eyes all pathways of virtue beaten and traced for our instruction: in which passages we behold sundry erected trophies and notorious monuments erected against pride, concupiscence, disobedience: all difficulties 
●●e. 1. Aug. Epi. 5 & 42. Hope made easy by the Gospel.  of mountains, of wrought and narrow ways, all valleise of drooping despair in the journey towards heaven are leveilled by his own hands Neither doth he help us as Moses' stony tables did the jevese, to ascertain us only what is to be done, leaving us after to our own weakness, to the tribulation of our own fears, serving God under that hard, earthly, and rigid discipline of the law, but in our Saviour as we behold engraved lively figures of all, and of every several duty by us to be performed, so do we from him receive force of grace, that we may be able for love, not for dread, in a sweet disporting labour accomplish our traua●ll in the observance of divine precepts: not in a toilsome agoine or wearisome languishement perform out task. We behold our captain Christ as fiery pillar, giving us guidance in the de●art of this world, as 
Exod. ●  well shining to give us direction, is burning to impart unto us a spirit of fervour and activity. And as our Saviour in himself is resplendent in knowledge, and also ardent in operation, so accordingly did the prophet Ezechiel behold the similitude of a man, 
Ezech. 1. Creg. hom. 2. in Ezech. Philip. 3.  to wit of Christ, blazed forth in those four admirable beasts, that is his saints, as noteth S. Chrisostom: whereby all his servants by his grace in their lives, in their souls and bodies, resemble his flame of knowledge, and his heat of godly industry. Wherhfore as the rain boe, in which are most apparent the forms of fire, and water, is a type and figure of divine mercy through our saviour Christ, so must our Christian hope resolve to pass by water of purity, refreshing contencie, and also operative fire and flame of good action, thereby to arrive to heaven, and attain unto the promises of 
〈◊〉 ●● quest. Rom. quest. 1.  mercy. And so as it were espoused to almighty God, we resemble the old Romans, who as recounteth Plutarch, in their matrimonial rites touched fire and water, thereby voving cleanness of life, and diligence of laudable conversation.  
3 Besides the person and actions of our Redeemer, our hope anchoreth in the immensity 
Hop of Chris●●s is grace.  of his infinite merit, so gracious, so amiable, so priceable, such inforcementes even unto almighty God, that Samson might sooner break in piecces the cords, wherewith Dalila tied his arms, than God the father can refuse his son his petition graced with that valour of desert and work. O what adama●tes of affection are the merits of Christ, registered by the scars of his precious wounds, shining in his virginal body in heaven! O what an eloquent supplication and plea make they for mankind still in eye & veve of his eternal father! where according unto the prophet, ●e 
〈◊〉 49.  are described & written in the very hands of almighty God. Which thing considered by the Apostle S. Paul, by way of amplification, he maketh this demand: How hath he not given us all things with him? For our saviours good deeds were not only 
〈◊〉 ●  Passing many in number, his continual diligence and wachfull eye, as is were of the nightingale, considered, but in that they were endeavours of a person infinitely holy and dear unto his heavenly father, they were also semblably infinitely meritorious, above all measure commodious for us, beiond all bounds of sti●t and limitation efficatiouse and available unto us: of which point we shall have in the third part ensuing a fit opportunity more largely to discourse.  
4. This great strength of our assured hope is not only sacred and heavenly, but also 
The civility of Christian hope.  passing civil and politic. For as when prince & subjects minds either vainly floote, having quit themselves of all good & virtuous endeavours, or droop in distrus, when they consider their miscarriadge towards almighty God, are unfit to accomplish in perplexity any brave exploit with hazard of their lives, so may we deem our Christian hope excellently conu●nient for service of state, in that it giveth us so sweet a repose, so sure a confidence unto true believers. In reagard whereof toils and labours will seem pastime, accompanied with such an heavenly Zephitus of divine assistance, and unspeakable comfort: iorneys will be gladly undertaken, wherein the traveller is never to depart from the penthouse of Christ his shadow and protection. When death occurreth whilst the faithful labour in their country's service, they shall scorn and ●ocke at his wont eager force, and demand with the Apostle O death, wheare is thy 
1. Cor. ●..  ●●inge! What is become of the bitterness thereof, hast thou lost the same dashing it against the rock of my redeemers body, and so to me art no more an object of dread or hurt▪ Never any institution, devised by man, or devil, did any time so pluke up men's spitits, so recollect them, so animate them, as our Christian reliance. The Turk, besides his own scimitar, regardeth only over his head, and round about him, the enclosure of fatality, as instrument of his whole resolution: being at it were a brute beast drivenalong either to the shambleses of a baleful event, or to the garden of his devised good success. His cogirations in war and peace arrive unto to almighty God his especial favour and benevolence, not to his sweet disposition of things, but only he comitteth his purposes at unawares to the empire of natures, course, as it were to the teeth and nails of a raging fury: yea not only their expectations do not arrive to the merciful and pleasant haven of Almighty God his goodness, but also they so conceive of him, as if he were not good or merciful. Whereupon one precept of the Koran is, in which they are forbidden to pray unto almighty God that he will convert grievous 
Actor. 26. 14.  and great sinners, whose certain damnation by their facts, is already (as they are resolved) discovered: and that smaller sins are often forgiven they affirm, but never greater. What matter from hence is offered of inhumanity, of desperation, and reckless deportement?  
5. To effect and accomplish at full this barbarity of distrust in almighty God, yieldeth 
Barbarous distrust in a Protestant Wieklef l. 2. T●●al. cap. 9 Luth. art. 36. Caluin libr. 2. Instit. cap. 1.  his helping hand Antichrist by the vasillage of the protestant. wickliff, an archepro testant, defineth, that every operat●ue creature is by necessity driven to performen it work. In which point Luther the patriarch of protesters, approveth his doctrine: although condemned in the Counsa●le of Constance: to whom also accordeth Caluin, as shallbe hereafter examined. If men be thus enfolded, within the bands of necessity, what need we by piety of religion, by access of hope, have any recourse unto the goodness of almighty God▪ See how Antichrist distracteth men's cogitations & hearts from Christ, only remarking with the Turk, the unremovable stake of fatality, to which he is tied? what hope the Catholic establisheth, relying upon Christ, as God and man, Caluin doth diminish and violate, avouchinge, that Christ is not personally 
Caluin lib●. 1. lust. c. 13.  God, acknowledging in him a double person, one of the divinity, and an other of the mediator. Whereupon if our saviour be not God by person, but only by grace, as was of opinion Nestorius, and is at this day the Mahometan, our hope arriving only unto a man, and to a creature, is not to be thought so assured and firmes, as when it reacheth to a God, creator of heaven and earth. From the person of our Redeemer passeth Antichrist unto his merit and satisfaction: In reckoning whereof we have recounted the firmitude of Christian hope. But Luther yieldeth no thanks for Christ his sufferances on the cross, as man, as to penalties of small import: and therefore saith, that either he is redeemed by passion of the divinity, or else that he is yet far from redemption: 
Luth. in Conf.  and that Christ needed himself a Redeemer Behold likewise the blasphemous belching cur Caluin, absolutely denying all merit for our hope in him. In good earnest ●●onfesse, 
Calu l. 2. just. cap 17.  that if any do simply and by himself oppose Christ to the judgement of God, their will be found no place for merit: for that in man cannot be found such dignity, that may merit with God. Consider, gentle Reader, the author of our hope enfeobled by Caluin, and we in him 
The Protestants deny the Redemption of mankind.  by his blasphemy weakened: first in that according to his doctrine, we are not redeemed, sithence that no just ransom is disbursed, & so by Christ we are not to prevail at the tribunal of God's justice. Than for that our Saviour is but a man, and so can not give us that assurance we desire, the same inconvenience of distrust is consequent. Yet these Antichristian enemies of Christ will needs seem to be his only Euangelisters, and giving him blows of disgrace, will cry out hail king of the jeves: And so far of is Caluin from affording true redemption unto the passion of Christ, that he avoucheth no thing to have been by him effect! thereby, unless thereunto he had adjoined the horrible pains he sustained in hell, there despaireing, and impatiently yelling out under the lash of Satan. What a disgratiouse thing is Christian hope, when it must search and behold a redeemer, nor perfecting the work of our redemption bleeding upon the cross, but despairing, rebelling against his father, under the tyranny of the devil? what comfort, what refreshing breath is to be expected from such causes, and base accomplishementes? must our hope dive into hell, before it can mount up unto heaven? Is it not sufficient, that it regard an humble patient lamb, sacrificed on the cross, but it must respect a miserable slave enduring horrible and hellish pains, thereby to take courage and spirit in the service of almighty God? Assuredly hear Antichrist in the protestant is no sergeant angel of light, but a grimed devil, defiling and aviling our Redeemer Christ, and the whole mystery of his Redemption. If at Rome in the papacy appeared any such colour of blasphemous hostility against Christ, than the protestantish wrathful Rhetoric would declaim against it in words of fire and sword: but to sinother and conceal their own close conveyed enmity against Christ, he holdeth it good, to seat Antichrist in Rome, diverting the eyes of the simple thither, from the feats of his proper fingers at home, and under their own eyes.  
6. But what remaineth now as substantial for Christian hope, when as Antichrist, by 
Redemption denied by the Protestant.  the protestant, hath once annullated and made void all poise and moment of man his Redemption of Christ? if as yet be not paid an aquivalent price of honour, of merit by Christ unto his eternal father, in comparison of Adam his trespass, and all actual offences of mankind dishonouring God, how are we redeemed? well we may be freely pardoned, and adorned with grace by frank gift, but never properly ransomed: well may bounty forgive the offence, defraie the charges necessary for our recure, but justice 
Psa. 84.  shall in this effect have no part, nor shall meet with truth, and mercy, in the sweet kiss of man his reconsiltation. Wherhfore in that no creature by valour of 
Hebr. 10.  work was able to redeem man kind, sacrifice and religion thereunto being deficient, as affirmeth the Apostle: Thereupon was decreed the Incarnation of the second person in Trinity, for that no meaner worth of merit thereunto was requisite▪ than one infinite, only to be found in a person divine, and in worthy infinite: which infinite is utterly 
Amb. in ps. 48.  overthrown by the protestantish adversary of Christ: for if every good deed of his in his life, was not of infinite price, and so competently valueable for the worlds redemption, neither can all his sufferances of hellish torments, especially impatiently and desperately endured, as Caluin blasphemeth, amount to the expenses of infinite merit: which wanting, we are not redeemed, neither from Christ is our hope with assurance to expect any gracious assistance. For it is an axiom in philosophy, that one thing finite and limited, added unto another of the same quality, can never in the total mass amount to infinite: so that if by reason of a restrained and determinat value, Christ his passion of the Cross, yea or if the meanest action of his life, in regard that it was of estimate and price finite, could not perform the work of our redemption, according to rigorous worth of the thing tendered (now to speak nothing of justice thereof, as we ordinarily conceive and define the same among men) in that all such penalties, which Caluin avoucheth the soul of Christ to have sustained in hell, were not more prisable, than his passion upon the Cross, as they cannot imply an infinite of ransom, so of necessity must they be deficient in the very moment and quality of a deserving redemption. Which infinity of merit in the works and passions of our saviour, as excellently well teacheth Pope Clement the sixth, serveth much for our comfort and hopeful expectation For whilst men do contemplate that in 
Clement 6. Extravagant vnige●●●us.  finite ocean of God his mercy, they cannot harbour any fear, as if frequent benefits abundantly bestowed in value thereof upon mankind, might diminish or dry up at last that huge fountain of grace: o● that any sin may be in enormity so outrageous, as if to pardon it, cancel it, and wash it away, were not superaboundantly sufficient the blood of our Saviour Christ. In which respect whilst the protestant impareth the first cause and motive of our hope, he doth not only thereby subvert all virtue, appartaining to our spiritual end, but also he cutteth the very sinouse of civil policy: in that, as we have declared, hope of assistance from heaven, is not only sacred, but also civil: and in that the want thereof is not only sinful, but also harsh and barbarous. Of which sort may be esteemed the philosophy of him, who for that he neglected all piety towards Almighty God, thought fortune to be fashioned not by any especial grace of his providence, or our religion, but rather by every man his peculiar industry: as if only it depended on our labour, thus or thus in manners, in annoy, or felicity, to be ordered. Which brutish conceit divorceth man his mind and affection from almighty God, ruling and disposeinge all things according to his best will and pleasure.   

The virtue hope, that relieth on the grace of God, purchased for us by the merits of our Saviour Christ, importeth also our cooperation of frank & free consent. Whereas the Protestanter denying both the vital motion of man his will, & also the free consent thereof in the works of faith, hope, and charity, as likewise in the offices of all other virtues, requiring the especial assistance of God his grace, together with the empairinge of this heavenly gift, he also doth resist and cross the very nature and essential quality of hope, and confidence in Almihgtie God.  
CHAPTER. IX.  
THE root and origen of hope settled and couched is below in the humble valley 
The use of Hope.  of the acknoledgement of man's own weakness and infirmity: the which by faith once discovered, as occasioned through the trespass of our first parents, than the same faith after mounting up as high as the goodness of God himself, engendereth in our souls a strong assistance in his most gracious assistance, to the end we may avoid sin, resist temptations, furnish ourselves with such virtues, as are conducent to our eternal salvation. This ability of faith serveth both to free and clear the understanding from the power of error, as also to fortify the affection, not only enfeobled and effeminated by a propension to unlawful pleasures, but more over assailed by the slights of that subtle fiend the devil, whose Lion-like extreme malice, 
●. Pet 5.  furthered by crafty convayances, is eager, fierce, and potent to contrive our fail in good, and in badness our bane and destruction. Hope therefore is an operation of man his will, firmly through God his mercy, expecting eternal beatitude; so that this virtue Theological of Hope doth regard the goodness and bounty of almighty 
Hope what it is.  God, as the formal part of her object, and the sole means to obtain here in this life the succourse of grace, and in the other, the reward of blessedness: into which mercy and goodness in God Hope resolveth herself as end, final motive, prime cause and 
Aug. Tract. 1. joan.  first provokement. For although sundry things, as our ghostly commodities, like many lives in the circumference of a general desire, are hoped for, and in this respect the objects of hope be large and spacious, severed into many branches of particular emoluments, yet they all meet and are knit up in the goodness of God as centre, by whose virtue and favourable influence they are by us to be summarelye atcheiued. The principal wished perfection, aimed at by hope, and unto which in strength it especially reareth up the soul, is our beatitude, the guerdon, bliss, remercement and issue of all Christianity▪ as speaketh the Apostle, an juheritance incorruptihle, 
1. Pet. 1.  uncontaminate, and not decayable, reserved in heaven. All which members in this great object of Hope, make it in contraposition and difference with worldly delights and contentmentes: and declare the same to be of a far more eminent precious and pearls condition. Than for that man his infirmity is not fit to arrive so high, or to perform that excellency of behaviour, which is required of us as suitable thereunto, hope reposeth the soul also in the goodness of God, as beneficial unto us by his inward inspired grace, by his sacred breath of certain holy inspirations inciting us to virtue, representing before our eyes the amiable hue thereof, together discovering the ugly shape of sinful pleasures. So lifting up the drooping forces of the will, ready otherwise to yield to unlawful sensuality, to grovel on the ground of earthly carnality, notwithstanding wind and stream make strongly to the contrary, yet we may in God his service maintain our estate of justice, and fulfil his holy commnundementes. Now our paradise hath not in that fountain of nature, and home bred water, or the Egyptian Nilus, to fertile the soil thereof with the diversity of virtues, as gay flowers 
Gen. ●.  of variety, but rather it being dried up and scorched by these hot raise of concupiscence, we lift up our eyes to the clouds of God his mystical benignity, and cry by trust in earnest suit: You heavens bedew us from above, and you clouds rain upon us 
Isa. 45.  the just one: the grace then of justification and remission of sins, together with final perseverance in good, amid so many temptations to the contrary, are the effects 
Solin. l. de Situ orbis. c. 55.  of this celestial benefit. And as the pearl is conceived in the shell of the cockle, the morning dew distilling from above into the same opened by the fish to that effect, so is sanctity, and the force of virtue infused into the soul from the bounty of almighty God. No man can come to me saith our saviour, unless my father, that hath sent me, 
joan. 6.  draw him. A sweet and potente drawght, when grace allures in persuasion without deceit, and fortifieth in operation without constraint. For to obtain that goal of happiness, Neither it is, as speaketh the Apostle of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, hut of God having mercy. To will everlasting life, or to race out the endeavour for the 
Rom. 9  same, is in vain, unless from the mercy of God descend into the soul the ability of 
Conc. A●ro●. Can. 4. Higher epist. 66.  his holy grace. And although we will and run in the performance of virtue, yet as sayeth S. Hierome That which is mine therein without the help of God should not be mine. Two kinds of graces, as hath been intimated, by hope do we expect from God: the 
Grace 〈◊〉 all & actual. 2 Pet. 1.  one a grace, called Habitual or iustificatorie, infused into the soul by the holy ghost making us void of crime, children of almighty God, and consorts with Christ in participation as it were of one heavenly nature: the other is actual or operative, as a 
2. Pet. 1.  vocation inspired by God enticinge the will to keep his commandments, to resist temptations, and strengthening the same to so happy a purpose of good action and behaviour. The effects of which active and moving grace, S. Augustine excellently 
The effects of actual grace. August l. 2. de peccat. merit, cap. 17. Ignorance & infirmity two causes of sin. Matth. 25. job. 4.  well doth thus decipher: That it may be made known unto us, of which before we were ignorant: and that delightful, which before did not please us, it is the grace of God, that helpeth the wills of men. The grace then of God, first doth illuminate the unterstandinge freeing it from the mist of passion or error, and so representeth vuto us by a secret persuasion, and splendour o● lamp in the earthen vessels of our bodies, the beauty of virtue, and of that action, which is conformable to her commandry: also telleth us in a whispering blast of secrecy, how base and vile, how dammadgeable and pernicious it is to pursue our sinful lusts, with revolt from God; and that more effectually & expressly then can any force of natural wit, or depth of the most profound Philosophy perform: whereby the affection so informed, baited by reason's lure and directory, leveled by her, becomes propense, well affected to obey her admonition. Neither is our aid so from grace, as noteth S Augustin As if we would not, or did no thing, but because 
Aug. libr ●. de great. Christ. ●. 25. Gen. 30. Aug ep. 105.  without his help we net●er will, or ●oe any good. Than for that the choice of virtue is irksome to sense, Benoni a child of regreet, when desires thereof are a float, and stirred up in heat of concupiscence, and to the reasonable part thereby restrained also in chains of an hurtful socieitie, prove to grant flattering sense her wanton request than doth God crush as it were his honey comb of grace, sweeteneth and seasoneth the 
Aug. l. de Grat. Christ. cap. 13.  conceit of virtue with a delicious juice of contentment: and so roses amidst the thorns become more amiable; in the moritifed catcase of a lionis found with puissance, the liquor of honey, virtue in agoine seemeth more pleasant, and jacob more 
judic. 16. Gen 27.  odoriferous in rude skins, then sensual taste is with all the delicacies of Cyprus, the Colden shore of Tagus, or glittering shows of princely courts. When therefore 
Psal. 18. Ps 118 Psa. 26. Gregor. l ● i● job. cap. 42.  God by his grace bringeth the touch of true knowledge into the mind, and breatheth upon it that sweet and mild zephirus or blast of consolation, then is man furnished with actual grace to run gladfully in the way of God his commandments, like unto the son, which raceth out as a giant, to vanquish sathan, the world and all carnality. Our lord is my illumination, and my health. These too effects of Christian grace hoped for, have been deciphered as by livele emblems by those representations, 
Resemblances of graces. Act. 2. Aug. Tract. 6. in joan. cap. 2. Ibi simplicitas, hic ●eruo● ostenditur. Columba since fell saevit. 5.  which were then expressed, when the church received first the holy Ghost. For in the fiery tongues, then appearing, we contemplate as in certain pictures, the light of that clement, as sign of a gracious illumination: in the heat thereof, and in the shape of a tongue, we behold the courageous active spirit of the same: the will professing that in action, which the understanding before conceived by illustraction, as noteth S. Augustin, which violency also of work was declared by the forcible resounding blast of wind, at that time by the faithful perceived. In like sort S. John in his divine Revelations beheld the visage of almighty God, the which in holy scriptures sainctly person● so much desired, to be enlightened and turned towards them, as a 
Apoc 1.  perfect testimony of his gracious providence, shining as the sun, and from his mouth to proceeded a noise as of main streams and floods; the on betowkening his 
Psalm 66. ●●●.  favourable light blazing in our vnderstānd●nges, the other his strong efficacy poverfull in our wills and affections.  
3 Besides which effects of divine grace in our souls, seemeth remarckable unto me 
The effect of grace in our Bodies.  also the lovely composition, which is wrought thereby even in our bodies: & this doth flow from it, as cause, and dependeth altogether in the quality and degree thereof. For as our illuminations of grace in the mind, and forces of endeavour in the will, wholly tend unto virtue, so doth virtue once seated in the soul impart her comely and amiable ●aies and graces unto the body. imitating as it were that supreme grace of glory, which once entertained in the souls of the blessed, stremeth forth by admirable beams to their bodies. In sign whereof, when out saviour was transfigured on 
5 Thom 1. 2. q 4. 2 7.  mount Tabor, his divine visage did not only shine as the sun, but his garments passed in whiteness nature itself in the fairest snow, and art in the deepest or cunningest die that could be found. contrariwise pagans when they receive illuminations from their Gods, or devils, because such phrencies appertain not to virtue, but vice, they are in their bodies and countenances thereby made most horrible and ghastly: and they do thereby come near to the very dreadful resemblances of the wicked spirits themselves: as we see daily in wirches, Nigromancers, obsessed and possessed persons. I have read of the East and west Indian people, & also have understood as much from them, who have lived with them, that in time of their phanatichall inspirations and divinations they appear most horrible to behold, what by yelling out, what by figure of their countenances. Also this ugly deformity is declared by the pictures they have of their genial Gods made of Bombast, or cotton, in shape hellish and most ugly to behold. And of this sort of old time were the Bachanalians they Nantes, 
Ouandus de Nan●gat Ind●● Boterus Gosmograp. par. 4.  they Scibills, and generally all soothsayers, and prefects of oracular idols, as we may understand from ancient poets, & historia graphers. Wherefore the opposite decency of body in Christians proceeding from the illustration of the holy Ghost, is a great argument with me of truth in our faith and religion: and it seemeth unto me a thing very considerable, that all nations for their instructions, besides their one personal light of understanding, have sought for information from some spiritual intelligences  
4. Yet notwithstanding a Christian man doth not so rely on grace by hope, as if 
The will of man concurteth with grace.  th●s grace in his judgement should only be active cause of that good behaviour in him, which God expecteth; or doth imagine, that his soul is nothing cl but as it were a mere table, a subject, or matter passively to receive the extern impression from God; but hopeth rather for that calling and informing grace, that sweetening and forcing persuasion, to the which he himself is after to yield consent, to cooperate & work with the same vitally and effectually; as namely together with that active grace to 
Non volentis neque curren●●s sed miser●tis est Dei: non quia nullus est hominis atque volunta●is cursus, sed q●i● nihil potest, nisi ●lle misere●tur. Aug. Ep. 106. 2. Tim. 4.  believe in God, to hope in him, to love him, to be chaste, to obey him and nature● and so expecteth salvation with this dependency, if he do work and endeavour to answer God his grace, and industriously bring forth the acts of a good life together with that grace of heavenly benefit. Which thing is most evident by scriptures, affirming men to believe, to hope, to love, to observe the commandments, to chastise their bodies, to do penance, and the l●ke; which could not be verified if that man did nothing, or did not move his will by consent and cooperation with the grace of God: no more than it may by said, that the paper writeth, the stone buildeth, or the wood carveth; in that these only passively behave themselves after a dead sort, without any motion, under the hand of the artificer. I have striven saith S. Paul a good comba●te, I have consummated my course: I have kept my faith: Did not S, Paul then work and sweat in the harvest of our Lord, did he not traffic for lukar of souls in the ocean of the world? then did he behave himself actively, not alone by sole nature, but conjointly with grace. Charity sayeth S. Augustine o● him, that worcketh well. 
Aug. in Psal. 31. l. 1. de Grat. Christ●e 25. The protestant denieth all act●ors of virtue in m●● joan. 5. Calu●n. l 2. Inst cap. 2. Sect 6 & 9 & 11. Luther Tom. 1 in Gen. fol 27. 306.  gives him a hope of a good 〈◊〉: so than the conscience in quietness must hope for salvation respectively, if m●n endeavour well by charity, which keepeth the law. But the Protestanter frameth unto him●elfe an hope in the grace of God, and rather indeed in no grace at all; as if man did not vitally move or work by consent with that grace, but as if the impressed grace contrived all, the soul in the mean space passively receiving what grace shall imprint or impart. If it were ●aid in scriptures, affirmeth Caluin, that God did help our in●●●mitie, no small part than should be attributed unto us: but when it is said, that grace doth ma●● a good will, thereupon whatsoeu●r good is therein, it is altogether without us: so that our infirmity, being not assisted b● grace, doth not efficiently work with that grace: rather all proceedeth from the erterne aid and efficacy of grace itself. He addeth: Therefore S. Augustin doth worth●lie as w●ll de●●de those, that do assnme unto them ●elues aliquas volend● parts, any function of willing, as he doth reprehend those, that 〈◊〉 that which is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of fr●e election in God, to begiven indifferently unto all. An English minster thus defineth to the same effect: The depravation 
Wi●tak l. e. de peccat. orig. cap 3.  of nature we say to be so great, that in our very conversion to God, which is by grace effected, our free will hath no force to help this conversion, but rather in this affair, pror●us passive no● haheamns, we behave ourselves merely passively. Au other Puritan reprehendeth the Catholic: eading that place of S. Paul, Gratia 〈◊〉, the grace of God with me, assuming 
Rainold. Apoll Thes. 5. Sect 32. 1. Cor. 15.  nothing to himself: Not I, but the grace of God: by their gloss they challenge part to themselves, and say●ontrarin●se, I and the grace of God: so then by this reckoning, it was not the minister that did work with God his grace in saith, in hope, and charity, but all was done by grace, he not moving, lying under the same as a mass or lump of lead. Certes this resolution of the Protestanter is unnatural, it is monstrous, prodigious, impious, against the dignity of ma●nes nature, against the ornament of virtue, against 
Hieron lib. 2. count jonin. Aug l. de Grat. & l Arb t. c. 2. Gen. 2.  the very substance of grace, and against the merit and passion of Christ our Saviour. It beareth indeed a fair show of hypocrisy, with the alluring serpent broaching sin & iniquity: as when the Protestant says, that he surrendereth all good in himself to God, as to the sole and total cause thereof, renounceth and disclaimeth in himself any concourse, or cooperation with the grace of God, as the Romans teach and believe. The worthy quality of human nature doth therein notoriously appear, that we are not subject to God his providence, as things without sense or life, externally only to be moved to their ends and perfections by others designementes, but rather we being enabled with vital faculties of soul, as with understanding, and will, by operations of them we aught to give correspondence to God his prescript and providence, and also achieve thereby ●uch ornaments of good endeavours, as reason and virtue do require: and we hope, that God his favourable grace will excite & direct these faculties of nature in ●s, as pencilles to draw out that amiable counterfeit of honesty, and meet behaviour, salvation depending upon their works, and comportmentes. 
Basii. de v●● virginitat. pag. 6●0. Nature 〈◊〉. graced ●y the Protestanter.  Whereas the Protestanter debaseth and dishonoureth this pre-eminence of nature in us, looking for his famed senseless virtues of faith, of hope, of charity, of repentance, of temperance, of chastity, which indeed are none of his, nor effected by his motion, but merely imprinted in him by a satalitie and force of ouward grace. How then is a man virtuous in act, commendable or endowed with those pea●les of honesty, if he work not, if he strive not, if he fight not, but only surrender as it were a piece of paper, sometimes to the holy ghost, at other seasons to sathan, to have therein purrated what forms and shapes shall please such actors? And for a man to hope for salvation only by means of grace, he not stirring or acting any thing, is no human resolution, but a misprision of himself, as of some block, some rude paste, to be fashioned, as shall please an other to devise and the pasterer to 〈◊〉. Not Protestanter, grace doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, decreed in her secret constitution, but perfecteth it rather, and enhaunc●●●●● to a higher 〈◊〉 of worthiness: and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cooperate with grace by understanding, and will, as actually believing, loving God, and our neighbour, keeping the commandments, and 
Virtue injured by the protestanter.  breaking fa●hans temptations. What is virtue by the account of the Protestanter, as faith, hope, charity, religion, 〈◊〉 dead, and engraven qualities into the soul by grace, as is the painted form appearing in a tabl● 〈◊〉 any lovely effects of man's own soul. If the colour and pri●e of virtue be no better, who may have any reason 
So luther Tom 2 latin. pag 62. Mat● 13.  to be enamoured with it, an● fo● it once found by 〈◊〉 to cell all other worldly commodities to purchase the same, as being that 〈◊〉 in the gospel mentioned by our Saviour? Doubtless 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blow of his heresy to the disgrace of virtue, and to 〈◊〉 men's desi●es, that in her l●ue they be not prodigal o● 〈◊〉 whereas we Cathol●k●s ma●●ke out virtue not as a quality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powered into the ●o ●e, and ●ffecting it as pla●ster doth the wall, but as a vital operation of the same, a 〈◊〉 endeavour, a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and in sum the especial office of a man. The Protestante●s blow given against virtue a 〈◊〉 
Derogation from Christ's me●●tt by the Protestant.  even by sacrilege and blasphemy to impeach and depress the very grace of Christ O how contrary are the deeds of Antichrist to his pretences! what good in us by actual grace, if here by no virtue be produced, if 〈◊〉 thereof men actually do not believe, do not hope, love God, or perform in thei● conversion the duties of 
Faith is a work of God in us johan 6. Augustin Tract. 2● & 26 in johan c 6. Credcie non potest n●si vo●●ns De 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 6. Council Au●os 2 c ● T●●dent. Sess. 6 c. 6. Phi● 2.  other virtues? And i● a man do not cooperate with God his grace, but in all effects thereof behave himself only passively, how is he w●●●out his proper action truly and indeed virtuous; or how is the verteu his, or where is virtue, being no human work of understanding, or w●ll? Is grace no more beneficial unto us the● soc; have we thereby no true virtue, no praisable endeavour? Are all our virtues now become mere impressions of grace, & no actions of men? O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Protestanter, so utter an enemy to grace! But how can in the mean season the cross of Christ, and his sacred blood, pass without contumely from the barbarous and ungodly opinion of the Protestanter? Is it not a principal thing, purchased by our saviours death, that we men he virtuous, that we believe in God, hope in his goodness, love the same, observe the commandments? all which benefits afforded us by Christ, are cashed and annullate, if there be no virtue in us of good desert, no seemly deportement of moral, or Theological decency: as there is not, if man do not cooperate with grace, and work his own salvation, as counseleth the Apostle. But whitherto aimeth this foolish fancy of the Protestanter, under colour of magnifying the grace of God, but to his common centre of vice, of liberty in pleasure, and contempt of all virtue? For if man do not work with God his grace, why should he be continually in expedition to keep the cammaundementes, to resis ●● temptations, to believe, to hope, to love, seeing that these things appertain only to God to imp●●nte or 〈◊〉 in the soul? They which, if in the same soul be deficiente, and not to be sound, the want cometh only from God, and not from man's idleness in not endeavouring. What care is the table to take under the pencil, what exquisite shape therein is to be expressed by the 〈◊〉: or the common lump of clay under the fingers of the potter, ●● regard of the diversity of vessels thereof to be compounded: seeing that to be good, to be virtuous, to believe, to hope, to love, to keep the command 〈◊〉, are the ●●le impressions of God, and man only their passive subject? who whither he be a sleep or awake, drunk, or sober, it smally importeth; in that it is all one to God his grace, if the soul only be a subject passive to receive, and no vital agent to perform. O bestiality, an●●●●thsome 〈◊〉, the final issue of this base heresy in the Protestanter! A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this opinion, and indeed transformed by the witch Circe's & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 a beast, may speak thus unto God: To thee O lord, my 〈◊〉 is always 〈◊〉: subject, and matter to entertain what shall please thee to 
Calum. lib. 2. Inst c. 2 Sect. 9 & 6.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not me therefore to labour, but rather as willeth Caluin, to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saboth of ce●●at●on from all my works: thou only art totally to cause in 〈◊〉 conversion 〈◊〉 thee, the acts of faith, of hope and charity: no bad behaviour of 〈◊〉 give resistance to ●●y good impressions, in that thou dost sometimes 〈◊〉 the most greu●●us ●●nner: and as for good works, thou only art the efficient 〈◊〉 o● 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 it please thee to work them in me, I shall admit them, if not th● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implied in my negligence. Yet this vile sense protestantish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he●, ●hat is the very blemish and shame of the same providence of All 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should God condemn men eternally to everlasting fire for want 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●nd charity, seeing these virtues are only his works, and the deaf 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the wicked truly proceed from him, & are not procured by the soul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, barely passive 〈◊〉, and matter of such qualities? Fowl heresy.  
5 〈◊〉 Roman Catholic d●●h continually seek to magnify the grace of God 
The benefi●● of free will and consent though grace. without free will the laws of God should be unprofitable. Aug. lib De Grat & lib. at. bit cap. 2. Aug quest. 1. ad H● at. ●●chirid. c 63. Gregor. Hom●●. 9 in Esech●●l.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us, and consequently to extol ●he passion of our saviour Christ; in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other seem ●he more illustrious and the greater, by how much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effects of better mark and esteem. For how is the cunning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 owen, but by his work: and the affection of a benefactor declared, but by h●s 〈◊〉 benefits? whereupon we hope for a grace at God his hands, which no● o●ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and effectively to be virtuous, as to believe, to hope, lou● God, and 〈◊〉 commandments, but also to perform them after the fa 〈…〉 of a 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 beast, as ●ther by force, constraint, or necessity: but rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behaviour in our employmentes, so cooperating with God 〈◊〉 grace, as 〈◊〉 ●hoose to do otherwise, and to perform the opposite vice, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from con●●nte to good. For example, if we believe in the mysteries ●● Christ 〈◊〉, yet we so believe, as either we may yield to infidelity, or refuse in this moment to exercise the act of belief If we in charity towards God obey his commandments, and beat back the impetuous temptations to evil, we so demean ourselves in virtue as we may consent to the contrary vice, or neglect to put in 〈◊〉 these good ●●●eauours. Which manner of working by free consent, and 
D. Thom 1. 2: q 1. a●t. 1.  with 〈◊〉 ●od 〈◊〉 contrariety, as to consent, and not to consent, is called human: as 〈◊〉 to man his nature, being a reasonable creature, and fit not only to perfect an action by v●●all motion, as brute beasts do, but also by liberty and ind●●feren ●● to adverse ports of contradiction: as to do this or that, to accept or refuse, to 〈◊〉 o● 〈◊〉, to l●●e or to hate. For in deed th●s quality of actions ●s the proper ground of virtue, of ●ll 〈◊〉 in man's behaviour, and of laud●ble carriage in his conversation: ●herfor● we see, that the endeavours of brute beasts, or of frantic 
Greg. Nissen. lib. de create. hom. cap. 7. Iren. l 4 c. 9 Greg Na● o●at de Christ. Nat●u. Epipha●. l. t. he●e● 5 Free will is not Peliagianisu●e.  p●rsons, are not praise o● price worthy, as neither the actions of our ●enses, in seeing, smelling or hearing, because they want liberty and freedom, which is found in the will: otherwise wh●t note of esteem may th●se ga●e in any attempt or choice, which can do no otherwise, whi●h of necessity are carried away to this or that by consent? Whereupon S Gregory N●●en affirmeth, that man by this freedom of will is crea●ed to the similitude ●f Alm●●h●●e God: quod ab omn● ne●●s●itat● libe●● si●us: in that we be free from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. S. Epiphan: 〈◊〉 it is manifest to all and ●eare, and not to he doubted o●, ●hat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 by himself: ●● you will, and if you will not.  
6. Nevertheless ●o avoid the calumnition of the Protestant, that seeketh with the common people to impeach this our doctrine about free will, as if it were heretical, and according to the error o● Pelagius. It is to be laid down, as a refuation of their ignorant malice, in what sense P●lagius held an opinion of man his free-will, and why 
Hieron. dial. count. Pelag.  he was by the church condemned. Truly it was not his heresy, that he granted free will, for that the manichees, denounced heretics, before denied the same, as affirmeth S. Hierom: but it consisted in this, that he to the impairing of God his especial grace, thought the merits of Christ, to much vaunted of the force and strength of free will, 
Augustin l. 1. de Grat Christi c. 2. & D. Pelagius reduced all grace to possibility ●●e●●geuen, unto nature, to action, and being, effected by nature. Epist ●0● 107 Council T●d. Sess. 6.  as not in his conceit any thing weakened by original transgression; whereupon to believe aright, to hope assuredly, to love God entirely, to observe his commandments dutifully, to vanquish temptations manfully, to arrive to salvation happily, he acknowledged no necessity of inward grace, besides the natural forces of ●ree will, ad●oynd to an external favour of God, when the gospel is preached, by miracles & reasons approved: when men are taught what t●escheue. And if at any time God, of his singular favour to any particular person, imparted his grace, as having access to nature, than he affirmed, such grace to be a purchase of nature, not▪ serve as necessary means to virtue and salvation, but only to a facility, and to make easy man his carriage in that behalf; otherwise deeming nature's ability a sufficient and competent cause of ver●e both moral and divine: and finally of beautitude. But to this error th● Catholic Roman church hath opposed herself in Counsels, as well in the times wherein S. Augustin lived, as also of late in that famous Council of Trent: wherein is defined against Pelagi●●, that no man can believe, hope, and love, or resist temptations, 
Grace and free-will. How do they deny frewill, who confess man to believe with free-will? Aug. Epist. 107 Grace is ●ecesary to frewill. Greg in 22 c 105 & in 〈◊〉 Aug Epist 106. sivere vol●mus deserdere liberum 〈◊〉 oppugnemus vn●●e sit libe▪ ●um: nam qui oppugn●●g●a ●●, qua nostrum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ma●n & fa●rendum honum l●be ●atur 〈◊〉, ipse a●bitrisi snum a ●huc vult esse cap. 〈◊〉 Ecclesiast 7.  as is requisite to salvation, without the inward grace of God, through Christ in ●p●red into our soul; the external declaration from the mouth of the preacher or Evangelist not sufficiently serving to such effect. Wh●ch grace, as it perfecteth nature, and is ad●oyned to the same, so do we hold it absolutely necessary to virtue, and salvation; without which, to the one, or to the other, we think to remain a plain impossibility in our free will, so enfeobled through sin, as well original as actual. And in these terms disclaim we with all antiquity, and the scriptures, the heresy of Pelagius. Notwithstanding, granting the necessity of grace to be added unto nature, we do not imagine, as teacheth us S. Augustin, that by a fatal destiny or necessity grace carrieth, conveyeth, or bendeth the will of the soul, as the ●inde doth toss, role, and tumble the cloades; or move the same, as nature worketh in things insensible, or in b●ute beasts, but rather free consent in us to concur with the same, to faith, h●pe, charity, continency, and the rest, leaving a liberty in the w●ll▪ that doth well, to do evil, if it please, or to surcease, or omit to do well being provoked to good. Yea we make grace a part and consummation of free will, and do not, as by a member of opposition, divide it from the same. For example, a man that is greviously tempted by ●a●han to carn●li●e, and yet standeth for virtue, and restr●nes his will from an unlawful appetite; if he had no grace at all but were left to his own pure natural for, ces it being a thing impossible, at jest morally, long to resist, he should n●t by free-will m●ntaine virtue against that temptation: in that free will consisteth in this, that so a man performeth this action, or that as he may choose whether he will do so, or not so d● mean h●●sel●e. Consider the works of God, that no man can be converted whom he despiseth. Virtue we make an effect of free-will, not in sense of Pelagius, that is of the natural forces of free-will, but of free-will, healed and cured by grace, fortified by the same: & yet of free-will, because not proceeding from necessity, from constraint, from destiny but from the will as 'cause▪ which performeth it freely, having ability to do otherwise, or to the contrary. This is the true tenor and meaning of our doctrine as concerning free-will.  
7. Surely the protestanters hope, and reliance on grace in pretence, is most monstrous 
The Protests denieth the good manners of men Hieron lib. 2. ●ont jovin.  and ungodly, as against the nature of grace, so against the perfection of virtue, and against the merits of Christ, and inspirations of the holy ghost. What doth the protestanter hope for a●● God his hands? Marry for a grace, to make him believe in his merciful promises, to hope for salvation, & to lead the life of a Christian of mere necessity, without his free consent, without the motion of a man, being not able otherwise to dispose of his manners, than such grace shall in dest●n●e determine? Not marvel the p●otestan●er den●eth free-will to cooperate with God his grace, seeing neither he admitteth as ●rewe, that th● w●ll of man is corroborated by grace, or vitally worketh with the same. Who will affirm sayeth Caluin the infirmity of man's will to 
Caluin lib. 2. Inst. cap. ●  be strengthens by the i●spe of grace? No help, no concourse, no motion, or action, but a blockish, and more than brutish stupidity in man. O heresy gross and senseless! And why Calu●●▪ Lest that, sayeth he, we deu●de that betwixt God, and us which he wholly challengeth unto himself. Surely mankind is much beholden I see, to the protestan●●e, that makes the souls of men no better than stones, stocks, mee●● subjects to foreign impressions. We rob the Lord saye●h he if we take unto ourselves any thing, either in the will, or in the wor●e. There is not a mutual co●urren●e in comon●e ●ocurse betwixt grace and man his will: neither and the Apostle make himself Confor●em labor●s, ioyn●e worker with gra●e A proper piece of theology in the protestant, that man doth not believe in God not hope in him, nor love him, but only grace doth act all these offices! for if men work the●e good things, either they perform all without grace, which is false and 
Virtue denye● by the Protestant V●inc●●sitar, nec corona est H●eron! ● count. 〈◊〉 Aug de Nat. & 〈◊〉 & l. arb. c. 2. 3. 4.  Pelgaian●sme, or certes they cooperate with grace, and so have part in the labour and virtue.  
8. The protestanters' hope aimeth art the open reproach of virtue as well moral, as Theological, therefore brutish and dete●●able. The antecedent is evident by the light of nature, in that virtue, be 〈◊〉 the greatest perfection in man, and an action of his praise worthy, cannot be effected but by free-will, and ability to work, and not to work: for why otherwise in brute beasts is there not virtue, in infants, or mad perssons their actions not commendable, but because they move by sense only, by instinct of nature, not able otherwise to do? Than what virtue protestant is it▪ in a faithful married man to keep his fidelity, tempted to the contrary, to observe the commandments of God and nature, if he be not of power to do otherwise? O gracious virtue by the doctrine of a protestanter, or rather the grime of a coal upon a wall of fatallitie and necessity! Are not protestants worthy commendation, that do well by destiny, and can do no otherwise, like men in chains and ●etters of unresistible 
E●sebe. l. 5. Praepar. cap. 3. Theodoret. quest. 19 in G●n Chrisost. humit. de cruse Agu. ep. 46. Neque enim praecipe●●tur, n●s● homo ●obere● prop●●● voluntatem, qua divinis praeceptis obe●●et. Aug. l de Grat & l. arb. cap. 4. 83. quest. q. 2. 2.  constraint? If they had free will, they would surpass the Angles. If there be a fatal necessity as speaketh Euseb: Caesar. Nulla e●●t lau● wtut●s, their should be no praise for virtue. Ignotressent egreg● p●etatisathlet●, as saith Theodoretus, the soldiers for virtue should be unknown. S. Crisostome expouding those words of our Saviour, if any man will come after me, remarcketh, that our saviours speech doth import a freedom of will, in that he sayeth not, I constrine any, or I compel any: sed su●quemquam●ud●●ij ac voluntates Dominum fa●io, I make every man lord of his own judgement and will. And that without freedom of will than should neither be virtue nor vice in man, avoucheth S. Augustin: If their were no grace of God, how should God sa●e the world? because salvation, & redemption from sin, and the acquiring of virtue, proceed from grace: If there were not free-will, how should he judge the world? in that without free-will, when necessity holdeth the empire, there should neither be virtue to be rewarded, nor offence to be chastised. Than I conclude, that the protestanters hope destroyeth virtue, enforcing upon it a necessity: and that if he be chaste, temperate, devout, charitable, yet by these qualities he is not commendable; because not free in the performance of them, he so working, as he can do no thing to the contrary, as brute beasts provoked by instinct of nature, are carried hither and thither, as it shall appoint.  
9 And if their hope pass to the disgrace of virtue, must it not also produce thereby 
Protestantish hope against Christ.  an injury against the very blood and merit of our Redeemer? For what 〈◊〉 in greater need of, then of virtue, what ornament more desired, then that of virtue, what gift more beleeminge the passion of Christ to bestow on the world, than virtue, 
Ita fit ut neo● fideles fiant 〈◊〉 arbitrio, & tamen ibius gra●●a fideles 〈◊〉 corum●a p●te state tenebra●um liberavit arbitt●● Aug. Epist 1●7. Sloth of the Protestanter.  what greater glory to himself, honour to his father, then from the virtue o● his servants? wherefore if man for want of freedom in will do not express or cause through grace an● virtue in himself, how is Christ beneficial to us how is he renowned in us how doth those great and main expenses of his travails, as ●f his swea●e, of his blood, of his life, of his death contrive any singular effect, if man do not g●ine thereby that diamond of virtue, and commendable behaviour? O Antichrist Protestantish, thy hope is a sacrilegious dart to wound even Christ, and force virtue either out of the world, or to strike it dead, as a motion not of man, but as an impression of some fatal necessity; and a mighty poise of lead, resting in an insensible repo●e!  
10. This hope Protestantish taking from virtue the freedom of consent, as it blemisheth the shape thereof, and defileth her puttie with infamy of inispr●sion, so doth it wholly incline man to foul pleasures of sinful desires. It faith, if hope, charity, repentance, chastity, be not the operations of man in liberty to perform them, & otherwise in ability to behave himself; why should he labour, circ and c●re for that virtue, which may be expected of him, seeing that only from God they proceed, and not from the industry of any human faculty? Le●t man than refer in the de●th of his sloth all to God, it not concerning him to busy himself: for that fatal necessity, without respect to his free will, hath already determined, whither he shall be faithful, or faith less, continent or lascivious, black, or white, for G●d, or for the devil; 
Grace & free will, how they concur. Non a●tem ego, sed Gratia D●● me●●▪ id est non to lus, said great a Dei mecum: perho●nce gra●● D●●●ola, necipse solu● se grotia Dei cum ●llo. Aug l de great. & l. arb cap. 5. Ench●● c 32. Epist 106. 107. Council Tried. Sess 6 cap. 1. Cap 16. Can. 1. 23. 4. Council M●lu. Can. 3. Can. 4. Aug. lib. 1. de Gr●● Christ. cap 22. Tract 26. in Io●●an. cap. 6.  whose disparities depend nothing on his behaviour, but of the mere outward impression of grace. F●e upon the loathsome and suggish hope in ●uch a lazy Protestanter.  
11 I wish the protest●nters malice corrected and his ignorance better informed. Let him then vnd●stand that we make the freedom of a man's will suitable unto the grace of God, both concurring ●s one absolute cause to the consent of virtue. Yet in the process of causal●t●e g●●ce hath the p●oritie, in that no man can believe aright, repent him of his sins, or love almighty God in perfect charity, unless fi●ste graciously without all dese●●e. God inspire into him his vocation, and persuasion, indu●inge the will to performs the duty of so good an endeavour. Yea this precedent grace is of such request and necessity, that as speaketh the Council of Trent, without it not only the Gentiles by force of nature, but neither the jews by their law, coulabe delivered, or rise from sin: which grace doth always ●oe be●ore, accompany, and follow our works: And the blow in these terms ●s giu●n in the same Council against the Pelagian heresy, and also slander of the protestanter: If any man shall say, without the prevenient inspiration of the ●oly ghost, an this help, any man to be able to believe, to ●●ue, to hope, to repent, as is required, that unto him may be given the grace of justification, let him be accursed. Loc here the weakness of our nature acknoledged, the force of grace graciously imparted, confessed; & yet our vital and free concourse of consent preserved: Q●ipp● qui illam abueere potest. in that man may resist the calling grace of God. If we said, that grace was a pay and guerdon of works, wrought by pure nature, as Pelagius affirmed according to S. Augustin, or that grace was not absolutely necessary to the virtues Theological, and also moral, in which by reason of temptations is found any difficulty, then might we by the protestanter be accused of Pelagianisme; but unjustly by him in this respect now 
Videre q●omodo ●●ahit Pater: do●●do deiectet, non necessitatem impon●do l. 8● quest. q 2. 24. l. 1 Rectra●r. c 26. Epist. 107.  e●peached sithence that we accurse all such assertions. Let the protestant rather purge himself from deflowering of virtue, from pursuit of idle pleasure, making no freedom of choice in any good action, but allowing a necessary determination of will in the same as a thing not laudable, nor worthy the price of the cross, or to be effected by any heavenly grace. If we freely then stand●n virtue, when temptation raiseth and enrageth the passion to the contrary vice, we do it, and yet not we alone, but we freely working with grace: it is God, which by his grace enlighteneth the understanding to behold the truth, for●t●fieth the will in it passage to virtue, and to make refusal of sin; we perform all good in efficacy of this grace freely bestowed upon us only forth desert of our saviour Christ: yet in liberty, not as stocks and stones, not as brute beasts, carved away ●●sway and comma●ndrie of necessity, as basely of man the protestater doth devise. Our hope therefore h●re ex●pesteth the grace of God to be granted unto us by ●he only goodness of himself, and not for our desert: yet hoping for such a grace, as shall in us bri●ge forth: he fruits of virtuous and laudable endeavours: that is moving us to a free consent, without which as no virtue, so no grace no redemption, no salvation. H●● better, as speaketh the w●●e man, that worcketh, & 
Ecclesiastic. 10.  aboundeth in all things, than he, that b●●st●th, and needeth bread. The Catholic is to be preferred, that so hopeth for grace, and so furni●heth himself with all virtues, before the protestanter, that glorieth by certain●e of f●i●h that he is justified and predestinate, being in the mean season idle, reachless and so wandeth the bread of the soul, good life and demeanour. What virtue, good p●otestante, actual I mean, in that operation or quality to which man doth not ●o much as vitally concur, and which is caused by a necessity of grace, without man's free con●en●e? which grace saith Caluin, Doth 
Caluin supra  move the will not as for many ages it hath b●●n delivered and believed, as that it is in the power of our choice, to obey the motion or to resist, but rather aff●●●ing is most efficaciously. Than he that believeth in God, or repenteth himself of his sins in virtue of grace, can do no otherwise, he works not with grace, he worketh not at all: it is impossible in cause and antecedencie, that it should otherwise fall out. Than O virtues of faith, of repentance where are you! What O Christ, is become of thy grace and redemption! This monstruous absurd hope of the protestanter exceedeth in ill desert all human hatred and contempt.  
12 Moreover such a dependency there is betwixt worldly civility, and Christian virtue, 
Fatality of the Protestant contrary to civility.  that Antichrist moving the protestant to withstand the Catholic truth, doth thereby seek also to barbarize him. ●nd make him an enemy of politic estate and government. For the especial part of policy concerning the Prince, it consisting of his provokement, inciting the subject to laudable attempts by price, & reward, wherewith he graceth their laudabble endeavours, is by the Protestant made frusrate and of no import. Assuredly their is no just cause, why he should exhort them to valour, to justice, and temperance, when he is persuaded that all these good carriages are mere impressions of fatality, or of divine providence: to be expected idly rather from heaven, then industriously performed by men on earth▪ What hope can he conceive of their labour, watchefull●es and loyalty, when he beholdeth them attendants in sleep of sloth upon destiny, and foreign benevolence of outward actiatie▪ Neither is there any reason, whic the Prince should much affects subjects employed in virtue, or enlarge his good will towards them by guerdon, if that they only bear show and colour of that honesty and virtue, of which they never were causes or contrivers; but only receivers, & patiented porters. And wh●e should the Prince be incensed against subjects surceassing from virtue, and wholly given up to concupiscence, when as they, without their free default, want such ornaments of action, the which it pleased not God to bestoe upon them, or engrave in them? This is the barbarous resolution of protestancy in this affair.   

The Catholic by hope expecteth from God such bounty of grace, as is not only cause of good consent, but also in generality a grace of sufficiency, afforded to the wicked & reprobate, although they misdemeane themselves in sin: whereas the feigned hope of the Protestant maketh account of no such favour from almighty God, as if he should even to offenders impart at any time his grace of ability or possibility to do well.  
CHAPTER. X.  
THE Catholic Christian man by faith exposeth to his hope as object the grace of 
●●●e effectual.  God, called Effectual, to wit such a grace, which infallibly worketh the effect of ● virtuous consent, together with the free will of man. In gift whereof he also acknowledgeth the especial goodness of almighty God, who hath decreed to bestow on him such a potent and effectual vocation, as he knew conditionally before the donation thereof, that it would produce in him some good and virtuous action or other: as of faith, of hope, of charity, of repentance, of justice, of temperance, and the like. Which peculiar efficacy in the kind of grace, and holy inspiration, doth not prejudice or infringe the liberty of man his will, in that it worketh consent in us not of itself, but jointly with our free election and action of the william. For our will first by an active motion cooperateth with grace, God not procuring in us salvation, virtue, or justification, as in stones or logs, as telleth us S. Augustin: then we so 
Aug l. 2 de peccat. met. c. 5. De Grat. & l. arbit. cap. 2. 5. Caluin. lib. 2. Inst. cap. 3.  conspire with this effectual grace to the act of virtue, as we might do otherwise, and yield ourselves captives to unlawful concupiscence. Our hope ●erein looketh for a worthy effect of divine grace, that is true virtue, when as the Protestanter denying the mutual concurrence of freedom by nature, and grace together, as he destroyeth virtue thereby, so doth he also condemn and avile grace in the effect thereof, as if of no commendable price or estimation.  
2. But besides this grace Effectual, we make reckoning also of an other, termed 
Grace sufficient.  Sufficient, that is such a grace, as imparteth to free-will sufficiency of force to overcome temptation, and to consent to God his calling. Yet for that man by default, and by depravation of his will, doth rather choose sometimes to follow the suggestion of sensuality, he falleth freely into sin: being able by a sufficient grace to avoid the same. The which disposition and mannadgement of man his affairs by God is declared 
Ecclesiast. 15.  in the words of the wise man: I have put before thee sire, and water, extend thy hand to which it pleaseth thee. So also almighty God told the people of Israel, that he had presented them with life, with that which is good, and also with harm and death, concluding: Choose therefore life, that thou mayest li●e, and thy posterity. This freedom is also 
De●●. 13.  approved by all such places of Scripture uttered by God to them, whom he knew before would yield to sin, terrifying them by menacinge speeches from such guilt, and exhorting them to virtue: which providence in the goodness of God towards the wicked, should be altogether absurd, if they were despoiled of all sufficient grace, and by necessity cast into necessary occasion of offences; as a folly it were to persuade the blind to see, the lame to run, or the stone to stay in descent to it centre. 
Basil. homil. 6. in hexam. Chrys. 1. Co●. Cap. 4. Aug. in psal. 91. D● origin. Animae c. ●1. l. de Nat. & great. cap. 69. Hieron epi. ad D●●●s. Matth. ●. ●onae ●. Potest dici, homo in co quod audi●●as, & pinuelas, in co perseuera●●es si velles. Aug. de Cor. & Grat c. 7. Epi. 105. In ma●o●ibus ●●alibus merito dici potest hi nolu●runt intelliger● ut ben● agerent. Hi, quod gra●●●s ●st, intellexerunt, & non obedierunt. unde no● obediet, nisi su● pessin●a voluntat●▪ ●ui gra●i●r damnatio divina aequitate debetu●? Lactan. Carm de phenice Claudian. Eleg●a de Phenice S●nne is no sin by the Protestant. Caluin. lib. 2. Inst. c. 6. Sec. 6. Adam had sufficient grace not to have sinned Aug. l. de co●●ep. & Grat. c. 11. 12. Caluin. lib. 2. I●st▪ cap. 2. Sect. ●7. Cap. 4▪ Sect. 1. Sect. ●. & 9  For as spea●●●●▪ ●. Basill, if such necessity should domin●ere in man his operations & crimes, In vain should ●we makers prescribe things to be done, or to be abandoned: and in vain are there any judges to reward virtue with honour, and punish vice with detriment. ●he laws them s●lues ●now, sayeth S. Crisostome, to pardon trespasses in them, that transgress of necessity, yea to account ●● no sin at all Most clearly and expressly S. Augustine avoucheth this liberty in offenders by a sufficient grace: Satan ceaseth not to persuade evil, but God doth neither omit to suggest good: Satan doth not enforce one that is unwillinge; for ●t i● in thy power to consent, and not to consent. To esteem one as guilty of sin, because he did not, which he could not do●, is extreme iniquity and madness. Which doctrine concerning our Catholic hope is first is worthy of that bountiful goodness in God, procuring his sun to shine▪ upon the just, and unjust, alluring those by grace that contemn him, running after his disloyal servants, the which with jonas depart from so loving a master: then our hope herein yieldeth unto us a full notice and intelligence of the turpitude, of the ungratefulness, of the disloyalty in sin towards God: in that we have offended against him not constrained by any necessity or fate, but of freedom, having power to do otherwise by a sufficient grace from God, to forsake the suggested iniquity, as teacheth S. Augustin: upon which conceit, the crime being committed against almighty God, so good a lord, wilfully forsaken, such bad demeanour of our will considered, may 'cause in us a fervour and heat of greater contrition: and so as sweet spices under the phcnix inflamed, may in sacrifice of a contrite h●rte, to God make some recompense of the injury, of the rebellion against him, our chiefest benefactor, and prince, most sovereign.  
3. Here now presseth in the hope of the Protestanter in horrible show of a loathsome smoke, vamping from his opinion, and accompanying the same: endeavouring even by blasphemy to stain the sacred throne of God, yea to deprave that his most sweet providence towards us with forged iniquity. what maketh he of sin, as of adultery, of fornication, of murder? nothing else but as of certain effects of man his will in temptation, as in a whirlwind, without all grace from above, through necessity transported into breach of God his commandments: acknowledging no grace at all present, or imparted, where is not the consent to virtue. I respect not, sayeth Caluin. such mad persons, that affirm grace to be given pariter & promiscue, together and indifferently: so then, who have grace, but solely the predestinate, & such persons as persist in virtue? others despoiled of all grace, are be queathed to the tyranny of corrupted nature, and to extreme necessity of offences. Man hath not free-will saith he to do good, unlest he be helped by grace; and that with especial grace, qua electi soli per regenerationem dona●tur, by which only the elect by regeneration are endowed. And whereas hence it doth follow, that men sin, and are adulterers or thieves by necessity, and so seem not to sin at all culpabelie; thus Caluin doth answer: What doth it import, whether with a free or a servile judgement men sin, so they do it voluntarily? Than adultery and murder are damnable sins, if voluntarily committed, although the party offendante could not avoid them. And talking of the depravation of man his nature by original sin, he affirmeth, that the will, as seat of sin, is bound arct●s●●mis v●●culis with strait chairs; it sinning of necessity unresistible. Which miserable will in man, notwithstanding the ●rosse of Christ, and his grace, he affirmeth, Satins pr●st●●●●as●inatam, illi se ad omnem d●ct●●●bs●q●●ntem necess●r●o pr●bere: so to be bewitched by the slights of sathan, that of necessity it ●bay●th his inclination: from which will no otherwise doth continually, and of necessity without end break out sins, then from a furnace are cast out sparkles, from a fountain runneth the stream. Yea sometimes, sayeth ascholler of his, the very saints themselves do necessarily sin. And for that original sin is not taken away in any, 
Wit●ker. lib. ● de peccan. orig cap. 10. l. 2. cap. 11. A●oll Confess. Augustan.  according to the Protestanter; which being To●tus decalogi●●●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the certain transgression of the whole decalogue, or ten commandments, all men are of necessity murderers, adulterers, blasphemous, infidels, and participantes of what knavery can be imagined; and that of necessity, with want of all sufficient gracious assistance to the contrary. Which vile and brutish doctrine is altogether consequent to that belief, which denieth free-will in man, and the distinction of grace, as one to be effectual, & the other sufficient: for if a man yield his will in consent to adultery, and can do no otherwise, he trespasseth of necessity, and by nature's bad fatality: if he might have rejected the temptation to that end, than he consented, having power not to consent which is to have free-will, in that free-will punctually and definitively consisteth in this, that a man acteth this, able not to perform it, or not to do it: which ability, in that it is not implied in the forces of only nature, includeth grace; not effectual, for supposal is made, that the sin be committed, therefore mere sufficient: and so free-will. But indeed a Protestant must confess, that an heretic, and infidel, a murderer, & an adulterer can do no otherwise, as being dep●●ued of all grace: yea that they elect and predestinate do mortally offend, I mean, commit damnable sins of necessity, having not always effectual grace, and being not any sufficient only, as he supposeth. Therefore he desineth, Christ by collation of grace, from the ●●lew of his redemption, 
Rainol. Apol. Thes. de s●rip. Sect. 14.  to affect and benefi●t only the faithful and predestinate; and reputeth all the rest to be clean forsaken, wrongfully comparing sufficient grace, given to the reprobate, & other offenders by catholic verdict, to the apples of Tantalus, deceiving in vain hope the diving lips of that poor damned creature.  
4. Certes most execrable and Antichristian is this hope of the Protestanter, the assured 
Grief for ●inne.  bane of virtue, scorn and reproach of all Christianity. We Catholics, lovers of purity and virtue through the grace of Christ, enter into the greater hatred of vice and sin, by how much we descry in it a shape of more odious deformity, and of a more disproportionable constitution; which we do, when we deem sin a frank and free departure of the will from God, a choice, preferring in liberty of consent, the trash of a momentary pleasure, before that ocean of his infinite goodness: Not fierce adversary, or foul fiend enforcing in the mean season upon us that lamentable de●●iment by our election: no combination or volumes of natures causes driving us into the calamity thereof, but we with our own hands to strike the heart of the soul with a mortal dint, we of free demeanour to comtemne God, preferring the cup of Babylon, before his cross of Caluarie, the stable of carnality, before the paradise of heaven, we Isay enabled from above with the splendour & dew of grace; that sovereign court, now after the entry of Christ, made favourable unto us, no more dreadful by thunder and lightnings, but gracious rather by fiery tongues of truth, by a vehement breath of mortification, and comfort in distresses; and yet to sin, and yet to defile 
Act. 2.  the soul by sin, yet to dishonour God by sin! But the Protestanter graceth sin by his ungracious hope, telling us, that we sin whether we be just or unjust▪ whether 
Sin graced by the protes●ante.  predestinate, or reprobate, by a cruel necessity, not able otherwise to demean ourselves Alas, how is in God his sight that trespass ugly, or worthy damnation, which breaketh from us by necessity of nature? If adultery have a necessary cause in nature, yea in the very decree of God himself, how is it culpable, how worthy punishment, how of a malignant quality, otherwise then is an ague in the body, or distemperature therein, occasioned by some defect of health? What conceit may we have of Christ, and of the mercies of God, if all the repaobate never receive touch of his grace, but are for one sole sin of Adam▪ tied in chains of impossibility, exiled into a corner of refusal▪ and never visited there by any rays, beams or sparkles of his mercy: by God 
Aug. Epi 49. De cor●●p● & Gr●●●▪ 7. Breach o● any cō●●a●demē● if it be culpabl● supposeth sufficient grace not to break it ●0 Adam had sufficient grace to persever. Aug. li. 13 c●●. c. ●5▪ Aug Epist. 106 107. free-will denied by the protestant in every particular man & also ●n Adam. According to the P●otestant a child or a mad man may sin by reference of his fact to Adam his sin, as well as a sober & understanding man: which is refuted by S. Aug. Epist. 23. No● antem trahit alter ab al●●ro, quando suo vnoquoqu● propria vita vivente, iam est unde dicatur: Anima qu● peccau●● it ips● mo●ietur. Epist 89▪ quicquid enim postea homines ex malis sui● operibus addunt, non pertine● ad illam gen●rationem, sed ad humana● conuersatio●em.  his punishment necessarily made thieves, adulterers, and murderers? or what mercy, yea what justice in God, to condemn these forlorn malefactors, as fuel for hell's eternal fire, in their l●ues never sufficiently being potent to be good, to pray, or not to be malefactors in all extremity and outrage of iniquity? Is sin nothing else but a necessary effect of a nature depraved? Why then is it a thing detestable, and not rather pardonable, to be pitied, not punished, let pass, not examined? Yea being sweet, embraced, & not as unlawful, rejected? In human conversation, if one man inflicke some damage upon an other, either, of ignorance▪ or of constraint, not able to dispose of his fact otherwise; we know it to be no offence, nor think that one can be justly angr●e with him, that so endammadgeth an other. How then either to God, or man, are adultery, fornication, or murder sins, seeing that both the predestinate, and reprobate, commit them of necessity, and importunity of concupiscences, reigning in their nature so decayed and ruined? And as the protestanters hope drowneth men in sin, as in a pleasant r●uer of a reckless life, so taketh it away all means of repentance and recovery: in that every such persons, as against whom our saviour Christ shall provonce his dreadful sentence of damnation not only by necessity were cast into sin, but in their lives never had from him sufficient means ●o repent, to wash and clean●e their souls, all sufficiency denied them by that adamant of God his decree, and nature's infelicity, and that in revenge of that one sin of our first parents. Did not ●e●se culpablie trespass against faith, who refused to believe in Christ, acting in proof of his doctrine such works, as neu●r man did the like? But how could the offend in that particular sin of infidelity, if faith to them was impossible▪ which must needs be, in that they wanted sufficient grace & that necessarily required to the act of faith substantially, & not only to the facility thereof, as proveth S. Augustin against Pelag●us? Whereupon speaking of those, who sinfully refused to believe ou● saviour preaching unto them, sayeth: They were not constrained to be infidels, but refusing to belelue, they wanted not the crime of infidelity.  
5 The Protestanter perceiving that without a freedom and liberty of will the action of man, as it is not human, or moral, so indeed thereby should not be odious, or deservedly punishable; telleth us, that although men offending against the law of God and nature, can do no otherwise in their proper persons, by necessity destined to sin; yet sayeth he, in that all men had once original justice and liberty of will in Adam, that sufficiency in him doth make now in us his progeny, murder & adultery culpable, although effects in us of necessity, and so damnable in the sight of God. Doubtless sin, for this gloss and colour, is much beholden to the protestanter, it standing still in flower and perfection through his doctrine and estimation▪ Truth it is, that to original sin, which we contract to our mother's womb without personal conse●te of will, is sufficient our common freedom, and ability in Adam to have wanted such original crime, to make it in us a sin, and that also in propriety of speech a sin▪ but I hope the protestanter is not so gross, but he knoweth, that infidelity, murder, a●d adultery are personal sins, and so must proceed from the personal liberty in the transgressor. Neither is it enough that they are occasioned by Adam, in whom we had sufficiency to avoid them; for in Adam we had also a power and sufficiency to want evil favoured faces, quartan agues, and namely the protestanter ●ece●ued ability not to be so troubled with ignorance in philosophy and Theology, as he i●, and yet I hope, such defects, by his account, are not actually and personally deadly si●●s, o● worthy damnation. Than I see the protestanter is a fi●t painter for the devil to colour and grace his sins with the excuses of natural and ncessarie deportementes Is the freedom then of Adam his sin sufficient to make the personal knavery of a wicked person odious and detestable to God and man, although the knave can do no otherwise, but is conveyed and tumbled thereunto by fatallitie? O foolery▪ O foul water, not drawn from the chaste fountains of Parnassus, but from the Stygian lake of hell! But what if the Protestanter teach, that Adam himself sinned also by necessity, and could not do otherwise then consent to the devil? how then are murder and adultery now sins, or punishable? We adore by faith a far of sayeth Caluin 
Caluin in op. Genenens. 4.  that secret Council of God with all sobriety, by which the fall of man was predestinated. So then Adam trespassed by God his appointance, to the which he could not resist. Adam fell not, but God seeing, and ordaying his fall; and so by necessity he hath undone himself, and his whole posterity. Than answring this objection he addeth; But it could not fall out otherwise, Quidtum, sayeth he, what of that? to theiust damnation of man it was sufficient, that sponte, willingly he fell out of the way of salvation. Thus Beza: But 
Beza respon ad Castall.  you will say, that our first parents coula not resist the will of God, that is his decree: I grant as much: but as they could not, so they would not. Than the Protestanter wiping out of the world free will from every one in particular, and driving it also away from Adames first offence, thereby he doth abolish all sins, as demeanours of no bad estate: so Antichrist, and the devil. Indeed the Protestanters' principles of doctrine do demonstrate as 
Protestants denying free will establish the heresy of Manichaeus: as if sins were of God, and things natural and real  much: for if all grace be effectual, and none merely sufficient; seeing that Adam in the moment of his sin còmitted, wanted effectual grace; for if he had had such a grace he had not consented to concupiscence; and sufficient grace being a mockery and delusion of Tantalus his water & apples; therefore to resist he had no grace at all, & so sinned of necessity: unless without grace against temptation he might have persisted in virtue, and his allegiance to God. The issaes and mark of the Protestaniers hope is, in disgrace of Christ his merit, turpitude of life, and a coulorable dissembling of the nature of sin.  
6. Whereby also Antichrist by the protestant, as he offendeth against virtue by 
The protestant denying sufficient grace doth favour barbarism.  wickedness, so also doth he trespass against civility by barbarity. There is no doubt, but that it much concerneth a common wealth, that the Prince, and subject, conceive great hatred against sin and iniquity: for otherwise they would neither abhor it much in their one actions, nor punish it deservedly in others by public justice. But how can according to reason a Protestant be incensed against an offender, against an heretic, or a blasphemer? how can he warrantablely chastise a catholic, whom he thinketh to follove error & impiety out of extreme necessity, as despoiled of all sufficient grace to the contrary? Doth them his choler and rage, out of reasons ten or, hold key in mood of phrencie, so cruelly afflicting us, or any other offenders.? In deed the purpose of Antichrist is, to council all grievous concept of sins deformity, and so make way for fell barbarism in course of all brutish liberty.   

Whereas faith assureth us of nature's decay by originally sin, so doth the Catholic hope design that grace of God by our saviour Christ, as serveth to the recovery and perfection thereof: but the hope of the Protestanter blaming and complaining too too much of nature's calamities, affordeth nothing to grace or virtue.  
CHAPTER. XI.  
AS that prime transgression in our first parents from them passed to every one 
All cóceived in sin by course of nature.  of us in particular, that is through defect of grace, which hath virtue to justify; so also in penalty thereof we gave received detriment in each faculty of the soul, and also of our bodies, as is a apparent: so that the whole man thereby, as speaketh the Council of Trent, is altered into a worse estate and condition, from that he once 
Concil. Trid. Sess 6. Cap. 1.  enjoyed, created in the quality of original justice. And as the tree corrupted in the root looseth the beauty of his green and flourishing branch, so mankind depraved in the origen of our first parents, retaineth no more that first integrity of gracious perfection, wherewith once it was in happiness adorned. To descend to the particular damages, inflicted upon human nature by original cirme, presenteth itself first that dullness of mind and intelligence, which encumbereth us in the pursuit of truth; 
Palues of otigir. ah. nne in the understanding will and appente. Excles. 9  that gross cloud of ignorance, intercepting our sight, and hindering it from arrival to the proper natures of things by contemplation: so that now without an espepeciall illumination from the grace of God, we are not to know or discern that, which by common concourse and ordinary ability of original perfection we might otherwise before have prceived: The thoughts of mortal men sayeth the Sage, are fearful, and all our providences are uncertain. Where upon the will of man deprived of that sure and perfect sight in the understanding, from thence not receiving such instruction & aid, as it had, if original justice had not perished, is more subject consequently to sensuality, more prove to corporal delights, readier to play and disport with pleasures, and finally to yield consent to her enchauntmeutes: so that thereby, ab teacheth also the Council of Trent, we perceive, the forces and vigour of free will to be much 
council Trid. Sess. 6 Cap 1. Free● vill decayed by original sin.  impaired, weakened, virtue in this respect made the more difficult, and sin more potent and prevalent. For seeing that free will is nothing else in the soul of man, than an ability to perform each part of contrariety or contradiction, as to do, and not to do this, or the opposite: if the will either by error and ignorance of the mind, or by passion and perrurbation of the appetite, by as it were effeminated, and made propense to follow that part, for which standeth concupiscence, it must needs ensue, that the poised, & inclination to one determinate side must diminish some thing of the forces of liberue: which principally remaineth in indifferency, equally balanced betwixt the extremities, as the median centre in regard of the lines opposed by a diameter. Lastly as concerning the soul, through the fall of Adam, the sensrue appetite, divided into the facultife Concupiscible and Irasoble is become more immoderate & distempered, as well in the wanton heat in desires of pleasure, as in the ireful raged against those, that hinder our delights: whereby as above, the understanding is in a mist of ignorance, so below the appetite sensitive dissolute in lose and wrath full importunity, have more power to draw the poor will of man to sin and iniquity. As for the calamities of the body. procured by Adam hisfall, as infirmity, mortality, thirst, and the rest, they are more known and experienced, then needeth in words to be by us expressed. All which afflictions and disasters standing for grief and dolour, for abettering and advancing sin against virtue, are remanent even in the just and regenerate: and we partly thereby understand, how heinous a thing it isto trespass against God, viewing the whole world for Adame his sole revolt so turmoiled in miseries; and also learn hereby to know the great wisdom and mercy of almighty God, who in the infirmity of our nature will yet show the power of his heavenly grace, in 
1. Cor. 4. Rom. 10.  the poverty of our ruin remonstrate the riches and treasures of his benevolence, and there make a conquest of sin, where it seemeth sin most to prevalie & dominter.  
2. Although our Christian faith in this sorre displayeth unto us the rueful estate of our human nature, yet also it pointeth to the merit and cross of Christ, to the mercies. of God, contained in the person and action of our mediator jesus Christ: & then 
Grace hoped for against original sin, & penalties thereof Rom. 5. 1 Cor. 15. Tit. 3.  hope in us ariseth in a Godly couradge, and firmly expecteth a grace to match, yea to surpass in good success, the bane of Adam his transgression, the second man his justice prevailing against the first man his iniquity; the excess doubtless, the advancement is in the balance of a parallel comparison to be surrendered to the redempt on by our saviour Christ, as teacheth his holy Apostle. Wherhfore against original sin we have in hope the grace of Baptism, a grace of regeneration in the word of life, to wash the soul from that guilt in the blood of Christ, the efficacy of the holy ghost 
Exec 36. Math. 3.  working in that element of water, as it was foretold by the Prophett Ezechiel: I will power upon you a Ceant water, and you shall be cleansed from all your uncleanness: performed by Christ: He shall baptize in the holy ghost. Whereupon we accept of the merit of our saviour Christ, as so beneficial and bountiful unte us in his sacrament, that we firmly believe, by purifying grace thereof, altogether from the soul to be expulsed the stain of original sin. In baptism sayeth S. Hierome all crimes are forgiven. And whereas ignorance 
Hieron ep ad Ocean. Aug. l 1. de peccat. merit. c. 16.  and blindness do press upon the understanding, and conceal from it the knowledge of truth, as of the beauty of virtue, and of the deformity of offence, our hope, through Christ, notwithstanding expecteth holy inspirations & vocations for sucourse for clearing the eye of intelligence; in that our Redeemer, on whom weerelie is the light 
joan. 5. jacob. 1.  of the world, the wisdom of his father, and child of him, that is father of lights. As concerning the will, although it be infeobled and impaired by originally sin, yet have we an anchor and sustenance from hope in the mercies of God, by the merit●es of Christ, assuring ourselves, that we shall not be tempted farther, than we are well able 
jacob. 1.  to resist, or that sathan shall attany time drive us into the sins of murder, of theft of adultery, or into any other offence, being not of pover competent to withstand, and avoid such misdemeaoours. Free we are, not slaves, but free in that freedom, 
Gall. 4.  which Christ jesus hath given us. And as the appetite, both Ceneuti●cible and Irascible provoke us greatly and continually to breach of God his commandments, so our hope respecteth a fortifying grace to establish reasons designment in virtue, when senses folly or fury make head for vice and wickedness. Neither are miseries and calamities so urgent from the body, as that our hope leaveth us forlorn amidst them, but rather giveth to our consciences an assured promise, that through our saviour Christ his grace we shall be able patiently and courageously to support them, and turn all endurances thereby, to the eternal advantage of our souls, and likewise glory of our immortal bodies.  
But concerning the harms and detrimentes of nature, the doctrine of the Protestant 
The protestanter maintaineth sin and Adam his fall against the grace of Christ. Gen. 41. Witaker. l. 1. de peccat. orig. c. 50.  is much for the proclayning and enlardging of them, and as touching our recure and assistance through the grace of our saviour Christ, his hope is passing sparing, small, and as one of the lean kine, sterueling, seen in Phaaroe his dream of no comfortable supportance. Original sin he acknowledgeth contracted in all, but in respect of faith, in the faithful prrentes, not to be imputed to their children: although in them regenerate, and in all other persons justified by their personal faith, he is of opinian, that it doth remain, that it doth still infect and contaminate their souls. Remission doth not procure the sin net to be at all in the soul: but that it be not imputed. Free-will the Protestanter taketh away partly by force of grace, and partly by the imbecility of nature: in that where the grace of God is present, there of necessity the will is perfected by faith, hope, and charity, it not being of strength to give that grace any resistance, or otherwise to do, than grace hath determined. And as much as importeth sin, as well in the just, as in the wicked he alloweth of that frailty and malice of nature in men, whereby of necessity they commit offences continually against God, implying the damnable breach of all his commandments. Than for the number, kind, and continuance of sin, as well in the just, as unjust, the Protestanter enlargeth the kingdom and empire of the same: affirming the corrupt will of man without end or measure to viter forth sins perpetually, as the furnace doth vamp out flames and sparkles, or the fountain giveth issue for the floing current; making man, Quasi dilwio 
Calu. l 2. Inst. c. 1. Sect. 8 & 9 Luth. are 6.  a capite ad pedes obrutum: over whelmed by the inundation of sin from the head to the foot: that no part of him is free sin: and therefore what somever proceedeth from him is imputed as sin. The depravation of nature is so great. sayeth Luther that also is sticketh in the regenerates in such sort, that they cannot be without sin: the very works of just men in the nature of the things themselves, being mortal sins. By nature we are all sinners, and not only 
Cal l. 2 cap. 6. Sect. 2●. cap 3. Sect 2 Witaker. l 3. de peccat. orig. ● 5.  evil custom, sed nature a quoque pravitate, by the depravation of nature. Sometimes sayeth an other the holust do sin of necessity, by reason of the la of sin dwelling to them. And although the spirit doth fight against ige sins of this depraved nature, yet manner atque esse in 〈◊〉 Des peccatum intellgas: thou must acknowledge that sin remaineth in the children of God. Now then seeing that hope beholdeth, and holdeth as anchor the grace and goodness of God through Christ our saviour, trial must be made comparitively betwixt the hope Catholic, and the other Protestantish, in regard of this grace: so that conclusion be for the preferrment of that hope, the which acknowledgeth and greatneth more the grace of the Cross, the merits and deserts of our Redeemer.  
4. The Catholic hope is in expectation of a justifying grace from Christ to purge 
Grace in hop against original sin. 'tis 3. jean. 3.  and abolish the spot, stain, and guilt of original sin clean out of the soul, warranted to such effect by Scripture, that termeth our justification a regeneration, fashioning out a new creature spiritual, a washing, a cleansing, which do import the utter election and abolishment of sin: whereas the Protestantish hope taketh from Christ in this respect the desert and action of a redeemer: for if the sin abide after justification, how is not the soul thereby yet polluted, and how may it not said Christ his justice not to be of ability to exclude that detrimenr of sin, which Adam, & the serpent have cast into the soul? which is to deny the very benefit of redemption, to misprise the grace of Christ: yea it is blasphemy to avoche that God doth not impure as sin to man, that which is sin in him, maketh him sinful indeed: for hateful to God is: impious person, and his impiety that God the otherwise one may affirm, that God 
Sap. 14.  beholding a man actually to commit adultery, doth not impute as sin that wicked trespass of the offendant; which were to assecure sin from damnadge to belie God, that detesteth sin; and judgeth sin condignly to hell fire. A goodly blasphemous hope of the Protestanter, for one to be wicked and damnable in fact and yet to hope, that by God such odious crimes are not to him imputed! The Catholic hope taketh hold of that grace, which is inherent in the soul, where once sin had seat, dethrosing sin & sathan from that place, where the holy Ghost, as Prince, is now to reside. 
The Protestant a proud beggar.  The Protestanter only hopeth for pardon and indulgence, in that Christ his justice, which indeed only is in the soul of Christ himself in heaven, is to be imputed unto him. A proper grace, whereby a poor Codrus is become rich by the imputation of Croesus' wealth, a diseased cripple in good health and beauty by those opposite qualities in Apollo; and yet still in beggary, still in misery! O poor pride in the Protestanters' imputation! Pride to mount so high, as to be as just as Christ himself, with all that ininfinitie of merits: and why not even as wise, as omnipotent as Christ, if all in Christ be imputed to a Protestant, and he laying hands on him by faith cry truly all is mine? yet beggary, for in deed the Protestanter by this imputation is never the better, his sins still remaining, and Christ's justice no more his, to him appertaining, or can make him more just, than the apples and waters did satisfy the desires of poor damned Tantalus. What sense in this hope, that justification must be effected by that form, which is not in the just person, and by which God without falsity cannot judge any person truly just? For his divine eye beholdeth the spots of sins verily inherent in the soul of the Protestanter, and seethe, that the justice of his son Christ cannot to him actually sinning be so imputed, so as it may indeed make him a sinner just, no more than imputation of his omnipotency or wisdom can bring to pass, that a poor silly foolish Protestant become thereby omnipotent and wise. Ha' painted hope, ayminge at no grace by Christ, in the dream of a miserable deluded Protestanter!  
5. The will of man so to be assisted by the grace of Christ, that it may bring forth 
Grace for virtue and against sin.  the good deserts of virtues, as moral, and Theological, we Catholics firmly believe in faith, and by performance expect as much in hope. For although that grace be given without all our desert to work in us, as faith, hope, and charity, yet do we freely cooperate with this grace, not in a servile guise directed and destined by constraint or necessity thereof: seeing that upon this freedom by grace and nature is settled whatsoever is laudable and human in man his endeavours without which freedom 
D. Thom. 1. 2. q. 18. at 3.  the motion is only vital and not that kind of action proper to man, as distinguishing him from brute beasts. Behold then how the Protestanter making the effect of grace by Christ a necessity of work, thereby rendereth such grace void of virtue, and 
The Protestanter hopeth for no virtue by grace.  of all praise or remercement; in that where reigneth necessity of working, there cannot be found any action either moral or Theological commendably good, or worthy the office and function of a man, as ha●h been declared. The Protestants hope what respecteth it, but as it were in the hand of God a pencil to draw out in the tables of his soul a character without his one operation or cooperation? A sweet hope certes, a virtuous hope, so far from all morality or honesty, weltering in the lazy liberty of a reckless life. He hopeth that God will do well, but not that he himself laudably is to perform any good: sortish and beastly presumption.  
6. The will of man in his ability and freedom, we Catholics censesse by original 
free-will helped by grace. Aug. Epist. 89.  sin to be much decayed, weakened, extenuated: yet as we in grief record this great calamity of ours caused by that original sin, so do we in comfort and hope likewise regard the mercy and grace of God through Christ jesus, the which shall keep us from sin by necessity: rather in temptation procuring for us the commodity or isheve of virtue, as teacheth the Apostle: otherwise we had our just excuse in this necessity, 
jacob 1.  saying unto God, that through his decree and course of nature, we are thus plunged in sin, not defiled or abased by any culpable carriage of our actions and behaviours: complaining also, that upon us doth tirannise the flesh and the appetite, inflicting upon us by necessity every moment deadly and mortal sins, as the sins of adultery, of fornication, of murder, of injustice: yea of all sins imaginable, that violate the ten commandments: and therefore, we poor captives, in this necessity, although offenders, yet are to be excused. Not no foul Antichrist, this will not serve thee in pretence to corrupt the purity of the. Christian hope, or Christian grace▪ But rather if in us be found any sin, it is found together with liberty, with potency in us to have avoided it, and therefore culpable, punishable and in no so●te excusable, as thy flattering colours of the man of sin, to make us neglect ourselves, would induce us to believe. Excellently well Tertullian, that ancient writer, and just according 
〈◊〉 l. de monagam.  to the tenor of the faith in the church in her prime and virginal flower: How long shall w● excuse ourselves by the flesh, because our lord sa●●, the flesh is weak? for that he said before, the spirit is ready; that the spirit may vanquish the flesh; that which is weak may 
Matth 25. Matth. 19 Luke. ●6.  yield to that which is stronger▪ for he hath said, he that can take it, le●t him: that is he that cannot, l●tt him be go●e. That rich man w●●t away, which did not obey that precept of dividing his substance to the poor, and left by our lord to his o●●●e opinion. Yet for that no hard entreaty can be imputed unto our saviour Christ●, as concerning the frank service of every man his 
Isa. ●.  free-will, Behold he hath said, I have put before thee good and bad: choose that which is good. If thou ca●●●st● not, it is because tho● willest not▪ (for he hath sheewen, that tho● mayest▪ if thou willest) because to thy free-will be hath proposed both▪ What injury then to Christ, and to his holy grace, from the Protestanter, affirming that the will as well of the regenerate, as not regenerate, is now carried away into all manner of sins, C●rtam ●otius Decalogi pr●●ar●at●onem by necessity, otherwise it being impossible for the will to eschew such abominable offences? Not Protestant so conceivinge of his sins, can in regreet accuse himself thereof as culpable; or think that God is so cruel, as to punish in him, that he could not avoid; and so in security and beastly liberty he may persist in sin: whereunto he will be easily persuaded with indem●ty, only believing such inniquitie not to be imputed. Wherhfore our Catholic faith and hope assureth us, that if we sin damnably or heinously, that our will in liberty doth perform such bad offices, we having from the Cross of Christ a sufficient grace to repel them, and their author Satan, that suggested them. We know that the temptatation of the enemy, or raged of the world's sea, can proceed no farther, than the strength & shore of God his grace shall permit.  
7. As touching the dominion of sin, as well in the just, as in the unjust, we acknowledge 
Dominion of sin impaired by grace against the Protestant.  in man generally concupiscence, that is pronity and bent of the ●oule, and also violency of motion in the perturbed sensitive appetite, as well Concupiscible, as ●ras●●ble to be much increased; and so the power of sin, in the cause and origen thereof strongly enabled; yet not with standing so savourable is God by the grace of our saviour Christ, that as we are to wage war against all sin, so may we subdue thereby the malice thereof, and avoid all guilt and crime of offence. Otherwise to what purpose serveth actual grace, if in ou● despite, we not being of force to the contrary, Satan by the corruption of nature do engender in us the contamination of sin, as of adultery, of fornication, of injustice, and the rest? Why are we by Christ to stand for purity, sithence that from nature floweth by fatal necessity the abundance of all iniquities? Manifest it is therefore, that all deadly sins do not break out from nature, without our free consent, as it were in sleep, in frenzy, or in other estate, where in free-will is surprised. And whereas S. john sayeth him to be a liar, that thinks no sin 
1. Io●●. 1.  to be in him, he affirmeth not thereby, that sin proceeds from necessity without man his free consent, but only expresseth that which is in act and effect. And he is understood of certain minute offences no● repugnant to justice, or incompossible with the childshipp to almighty God: unless the Protestanters large conscience thinketh, that the just man may seven times a day, remaining just, blaspheme God, murder his brother, or commit any other villainy, as well as trespass seven times a day in form and model mentioned by our saviour Christ. So that neither there is any venial 
Luc. 17.  sin assignable in particular, the which by the grace of God we may not eschew: for where is necessity, there is pardon and excuse from sin; although in comprehension 
free-will in venial sin.  of all venial sins generally, for the space of a day, it be morally impossible, to shun them all; in that never yet any without especial privilege hath repelled them, no● ever for time to come any shall; and therefore to want all venial sins is morally 
Aug. lib. ●. de pecc●t. mert. cap. 6. So also S. Ambros. l. 1. in Luc. in ini●●o.  impossible: yet nevertheless phisically, as the school speaketh, there is no one venial sin that may not be re●ected. For although all men daily fall into venial sins; and few for the space of a long life avoid all mortal; yet S. Augustine telleth us that it is absolutely possible for man to be without all sin whatsoever. I confess sayeth he, that it may be by the grac● of God, & ●●berum ●●u● arbitrium, and by the free-will of man. Wherein the Protestanters' assertion in this point first debili●ateth the efficacy 
Ep. ad Valent. Tom. 7.  of Christ his grace, and merit, then enlargeth the dominion of sin, lastly maketh sin a matter of no great deformity or misbehaviour; finally thereby encourageth men to sin in all liberty and impunity of barbarism The Protestanter maketh in man to be a deadly sin, and odious to God, the very natural inclination of the so●le 
Luther▪ Tom. 2. in Gen▪ pag. 314 Tom 4. p. 1ST. 377. 39●.  unto unlawful pleasures; then he accuseth as sinful every motion of the same, as damnable and displeasant to the eye of almighty God: which sins, caused by Adam his fall, are yet remanent in the just after justification: he affirmeth grace and desert of Christ not to be of efficacy to free the soul from contagion and pollution by such enormities: as if sin by the devil hath prevailed yet against the cross of Christ, and that in the very elect, and servants of sanctification. Than why by grace are we exhorted in Scriptures to strive against sin and concupiscence; if whither we will or not, by necessity sins swarm in us, and have a continual race from a natural concupiscence? If the just do offend in all works they do, and continually break the ten commandments, what use and commodity from grace in regard of purity, of integrity, of that Nazarean Christianity? Is grace become a cipher in algrime with the Protest●n●●●, and sin the prince of his soul! And what thing more efficaciously can stand for the magnifying of the kingdom of sin against the blood of Christ, then to avouch that in the very regenerate are remassed innumerable mortal sins; that they from head to heel are l●zures in leprosy of sin, that the just by nature are sinners, in n●mber of crimes not countable, in quality breakers of the ten commandments, as th●●●es, adulterers, infidels, and yet just, and yet by imputation the white ch●ckines of a foolish brain? What soever man doth, be it according to reason, or against ●t, is deadly sin by verdict of the Protestanter: all motions indeliberate, not free, or voluntary, in the appetite, are deadly sins. O friends of Satan, and meet trumpeters to resound the glory of his emprises! Sins in the just infinite, in condition detestable, are seated in the soul of man, whereas the grace of justification is but one, and that in heaven, the justice of Christ himself, the which in veretie can no more make a Protestant just, being loathsome in sin by his fact and ●●auer●, then can the beauty of a Frenchman cause a Moore to be fair, or amiable after the Europian hue! But that, which is chiefest in consideration with Antichrist in 
〈◊〉 of Protestantish Doctr●e.  the Protestanter, is to induce men to sin and barbarism under pretence of a faith apprehending the outward justice of Christ: that without fear or stay they may commit what vallaine is imaginable. If the act of adultery, of murder, or theft, were dammadgeable to offenders, the● it should so be, in that they are grievous sins against the commandments of God, and nature, and so drive out of the soul all grace of iustifi●●tio●, giving unto it a mortal blow even to death of the spirit, and debt of eternal damnation: but seeing that in the just, remaining just, are found millions of mortal sins in act and operation, yea a continual violating of the ten commandments, as the Protestante●s affirm, and that in the best is nothing to be found but a laza●●e, a puddle of iniquity, why should one dread to injury his neighbours, to follow his lusts, to rebel ●gainst his prince, seeing that these are only natural defects, and crimes semblable in guilt to those offences, the which of necessity accompany original sin, resident in the regenerate, and not imputed! And if in the multitude of these sins do consist a justifying faith, making them not to be imputed, why is any wickedness against nature or state offensive or hurtful to a Protestant? or why should he care for innocenty, it being impossible by nature's decree, and the opposite guilt or nocencie is not to him imputed? Than hath he his devised faith, as a nurse of concupiscence, as a defence, not against sin, but for sin; as letters patents of mart, yea an enchantment from the devil to shield him from annoy, when the flesh gaineth in him the victory against the spirit, as filthy Beza deviseth. Let● now the tea●es of grief 
Beza. 6. Rom.  in me●n●s eyes be dried up, and thorns of doleful pangs be removed from the heart in cogitation of sins committed, since that sins are the proper herbs, that grow by necessity in the garden of a regenerate Protestant, they sprout out from a root of fatal necessity, and are covered with a faith of a comfortable persuasion. Mercy good Protestanter, sayeth the devil: but fie for shame, crieth the Catholic. The Protestant de●●li●ateth nature, confesseth his sins, preacheth the mercies of God; but why? that men securely may play and disport themselves with sins, deem them the effects of nature and necessity, easily pardonable, dissembled by God, not imputed through faith; and so his hope endeth in that ●gnonimious disorder of lawless bestiality. Ho that the sadge governors of our common wealth, knowing that all good policy is to be grounded on virtue, here would consider how the doctrine Protestantish tendeth to vice and iniquity, and so consequently to make men brutish for destruction of all civil and politic demeanour! Doubtless then would they not judge the Roman Catholic worthy of death and loss of worldly commodities as traitors and rebels, only for teaching a doctrine of purity, a doctrine, that extolleth the grace and merit of our saviour Christ, and so establisheth in link of virtue and charity the societies of Christian people.   

The first or indeliberate motions of concupiscence before free consent are not deadly and mortal, but rather adversaries for Christian Hope in her purity and constancy, set upon by their temptations, to fight against. In which combat the Protestant blemisheth and disaduantageth Hope, accounting them deadly crimes wher● such consent is wanting.  
CHAPTER. XII.  
BY the name of Concupiscence in this place we understand the disorderly motions of man his nature, preventing the use of reason, and free consent, considering the same as ishuing from a triple faculty of the soul, grievously hurt and weakened through original sin. we may then first regard the general work of Concupiscence in the inferior part of the soul, to wit in the sensitive faculty, distributed into the appetite, called C●cupiscible, & the other named ●ra●●●ble. Then is concupiscence found in the concupiscible faculty, when is therein a desire of lustful pleasure unlawful, inclining and ent●●ing the will to a consent for accomplishment of sin. After, the like concupiscence is experienced in the power ●pas●●ble, when hatred, anger, wrath, presumption, break out unadvisedly, and with distemperature, against the hinderers of the forbidden delights aimed at by the Concupiscible. Lastly concupiscence now questioned▪ may be regarded as it is in the very act and consent of will itself by a sudden motion and complacence thereof, before the perfect use of reason and deliberation, & not no● an effect of free consent, but of a consent only natural, necessary, and precipitant; as it may fall out in s●eepe, in infancy, in frenzy: in that the will of man is 
How Concupiscence is ●uill.  prove to yield unto sense in the pursuit of pleasure and sensual contentment. Of which concupiscence in general we affirm, that it inclineth to ●uill, and so, as cause is evil: that it debili●ateth the native forces of free will to virtue, and maketh it lean too much towards the vicious wishes and actions of bad designs. Nevertheless we deeeme it not sinful or damnable, but only when a man giveth a free consent of will unto the suggestion and allurement; and that willing and witting after deliberation of reason, and full consideration of the fact proposed. But in that this natural concupiscence is the effect of original sin, and an enticement, yea the ob●ect and matter of actual sin, therefore it is termed by the Apostle sin, the law of sin, or the flesh: In mind I serve the la of God, but in my flesh the la of sin. It is also a trasgression 
Rom. 7.  of the law of reason this concupiscence, and forbidden by the law, but as object of sin, and not as sin in propriety. For example the outward act of stealing is against the law, and sinful, not that it is in formality sin, for so should it be sin without use of reason sometimes, as when the thing is his by whom it is taken away, for that the external act is all one in physical nature: but it is sin & forbidden, as an evil object of consent, and so forbidden that men consent not in will to the same. In like sort concupiscence is a sin, that is an object of sin, and forbidden to be consented unto; i● which consent is reposed merely the formal part of a sin, and the dispraise worthy action. which distinction the same Apostle alloweth of, saying, I work it not, but sin the which dwelleth in me. There is sin then of concupiscence, as cause and object of sin, and there is sin suggesteth, and sin performed by consent. Against the which he adjoineth this good counsel: Let not sin reign in your mortal body. Than in the Apostle was sin dwelling, but not sin reigning, that is, he consented not to 
Aug ●. 1. Ciu c. 2●● 2. de peccat merit c. 4. cap 22 Si●est autem peccatum, Visit poena peccati. lib. de Nap. & concupiscent. c. 23. vocatur peccatum, quia peccato facta est, & peccatum si vicerit, facit. jacob. 5. Aug. lib. 2. de peccat mer▪ c. 28 li. 5. cont. jul c. 25.  sin, or was sin his master commanding his choice and free election, by which is accomplished the nature of that sin, the which maketh a man in estate of death and damnation: for of the former concupiscence sayeth S. Augustine: how much more is it without fault in the body of one not consenting, if it be without fauls in the body of one sleeping? And of the latter, & other concupiscence of consent, thus he avoucheth: God forbidden that the soul should through any pleasures of the flesh give consent to turpitude: Affirming this to be contrary to a firm hope in God, that relieth resolutely on his assistance: whereby if men be tempted, they may, if they will, through grace, avoided consentment, and so abandon sin itself. To the which effect also the Apostle S. james maketh a distinction betwixt sin, & concupiscence: Concupiscence when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin: in that sin is caused, when consent is surrendered to concupiscence. The which concupiscence S. Augustine doth not terrme sin absolutely, but the law of sin, sums, the incitement to sin. And to this purpose doth he expound S. james: That which is done in sight against concupiscence, is done that concupiscence do not bring sortb sin. And if at any time this natural concupiscence be called by S. Augustine sin, he meaneth it to be sin first as effect of sin, and a viciositie of nature, then as an allurement to sin, lastly as the object of sin, for that an object bad and contrary to virtue and right judgement: lastly as the material part of original sin, and so it is likewise termed by Saint Thomas. The reason also of this is manifest; for that these motions, although 
D. Thom. 1. 2. q. 82. ar. 1. 2 3. 4.  they be the actions of a man, as vitallie and effectivelie proceeding from the faculties of his soul, yet they be not actions human, that is free once, and considerate, but rush and break out of nature, as they do in bruit beasts by impetuosity of the soul distempered; as it falleth out in sleep and frenzy: And so it is impossible with judgement to esteem of them as of actual sins, and culpable misdemeanures of man, he being not of ability to avoid them, yet labouring against them what he may through the grace of Christ. For most absure it is to place sin in that motion, which hath no freedom of work in it, but is rather merely natural and necessary, as it falleth out in the first motions of concupiscence. And therefore if Adam had eaten the forbidden apple only of a natural and necessary concupiscence, his fact had been no sin or culpable. 
Prudent Hamar●.   

Quod prohibente deo, persuasit callidus anguis,  
Persuasit certe hortatu, non impulit acri  
Imperio.  
What serpent dire to Adam did persuade, as serpent sly to kill,  
He did not force in any sort, but studied how to gain free will.  
Consensit; licuit ne hortantem spernere recti  
Libertate animi? licuit: nam & deus ante  
Suaserat, ut meliora volens sequeretu●: at ille  
Spernens consilium, saevo plus credidit host.  
Most true it is he gave consent:  
But could he take an other way?  
He could: for God his advertisement  
Did better side to him display.  
Only this: God's word he did despise,  
And let the Fiend himself surprise.   
So also virtue if it be not free, is no virtue or laudable, that is; if it proceed not from a will able to do this, or that.  

Non sit sponte bonus, cui non est prompta potestas  
Velle aliud, flexosque animi conuerter●sensus.  
None of freedom is made good, who wants, a power as competent  
To altar choice, and that to think, what will shall deem for best content.   
Also to determine of these first and necessary motions of concupiscence, as of sins without freedom of will and consent, is blasphemously to make God the author of 
Rom. 7. Concupiscence a sin by the Protestant. Calu. 3. Instit. c. 3. Sect. 10. 13. Nature is defamed by the Protestant with Manichaeus, as bad and sinful. Sect. 11. Wittaker. ll. 2. de peccat. orig. cap. 11. Not real or substantial thing is sin or bad. Aug. l. cont. lul c. 8. Ipsum malsi dicit esse naturam: speaking of Manichaeus: but all inclination is natural & real, and so not sinful.  sin; in that these motions are his penalties & miseries inflicted by him upon man for original sin. unhappy man that I am, said S. Paul, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? being vexed & turmoiled with concupiscence. And in that these motions are real qualities and actions, if there be no intercourse of free will in man to derive unto them the spot of sin, as the whole and total cause, God must needs be author of what sin is in them: for that naturally and necessarily without freedom they are sins, and so God author of nature and necessity, is also consequently author and mover of what iniquity is found in them.  
2. The Antichristian Protestanter to magnify against the Cross of Christ, the empire and burden of sin, and also to give a free passage to licentious wickedness without fear of any harm, accounteth of all these motions, yea of every work of the soul, as of a deadly and mortal sin, although not any consent of man be present, or deliberate choice made of forbidden pleasure by the law of God & nature. We hold all that for sin, sayeth Caluine, the which with any lust tickleth a man against the la of God: yea we affirm to be a sin the very pravity, that bringeth forth such lustful desires. Than is first the faculty of nature sin, and after also all motions vitallie from thence proceeding are sins: yet addeth he, we confess that they are not imputed to the just, as if they were not. The infection of nature, speaketh an other, is not only an inclination to evil, see the beast making an inclination natural, sin; but also an evil disposition: this addeth nothing but a foolish word or two, An evil nature and evil mind: O monster, is a mind, and nature itself sinful! whereby, concludeth he, we are still incited to do evil. Than of the motions, vented out from this nature and inclination, thus doth he denounce: Therefore original injustice is a certain transgression of the whole decalog. That is, concupiscence in all men is an actual breach of all the ten commandments, and the motions thereof still are with consent of will, sufficient to make them adulteties, fornications, thestes, murders, injuries, and all other wickedness possible. Is not here a neat Christianity, so plunged in iniquity, so defiled with concupiscence by protestancy?  
3. The first comparison between th●se two opinions shall be deduced from Hope, 
By the grace of Christ concupiscence is not sin without consent. Quibus si non consentitur, nullus peccati reatus contrahitur. Aug. lib. de peccat. orig c. 40 l. 1. de Nup & concupis. c. 23. 1. joan. 1. 1. joan. 3. Omnes homines judicant lasciviae non esse peccatum, nisi quia concupiscentiae consentitur. Aug. l 3. count. julian. c. 14.  respecting the merits and graces of our Saviour Christ, and the goodness of God thereby inclined, yea powered out, to our great commodity. Hope in the Catholic ariseth upon consideration, that we deem the just and regenerate by Christ his sanctifying and guarding grace, to be preserved from mortal stain of sin, importing a sufficient force in man to repel and euercome all the baneful temptations thereof. God is saithful and just, that he remit unto us our sins, and cleanse us from all iniquitte. All that remain in him sinn● not: He that committeth sin is of devil. Every one that is borne of God doth not commit sin, because hi● seed remaineth in him, & he can not sin because he is borne of God. Lo here a defence of the just and regenerate by grace from the harm and annoy of sin. Is not this a singular benefit aimed at by hope, so to be shielded from heinous and deadly crime, from the fire brands of Satan, and the flying darts of natural concupiscence? If so, then is Hope in us greatly increased respectivelie towards so dear and bountiful a protector Christ our Saviour. Contrariwise the Protestanter impeacheth the gift, weakeneth the defence, avouching the just actually to commit by a continual disorder of works a million of mortal and deadly sins, flowing and gushing still out of concupiscence, to the violation of all the ten commandments; and thereby such just persons to be formally and really polluted, defiled, and worthy in fact and demerit of eternal fire in hell. O is Christ no better a Saviour, no suerer a friend, no more afluent a fountain, then to suffer his children thus to be corrupted and poisoned with mortal sins, with all vices forbidden in the law; to be very Lazares of iniquity, from top to toe unclean and loathsome! Hear certes is Antichrist defacing the majesty of Christ with dishonour, impairing his ability with penury, aviling his liberality with nigardise, and placing Christ with a rain bow of a fantastical justice under Satan, domineering and tyrannising upon the souls of men with the excrements of all offences, and filth of forbidden concupiscence▪ yea this vile heresy raiseth itself to the very misprision of God his eternal and just providence. 
The Protestant is heretical against the providence of God.  For if concupiscence be a deadly sin, then is it to be punished, it remaining as due cause and procurement thereof; and so the very just in justice, in whom they abound, are liable to damnation, & in estate of perdition, as enemies of God, rebels against his sacred majesty and Empire. How then just, and yet to be saved? If concupiscence be a mortal sin before, and without free consent▪ then in those that believe not, they shall work effectually eternal punishment in hell. But must poor soul's broil in fire for mere motions of nature, the which they could not avoid? must they be tormented perpetually in hell, for perturbations breaking out in time of sleep, of distraction of mind, of frenzy, or passion overtopping the use of reason? Can so small a crime, so excusable a trespass against man his will, & he resisting rushing out, deserve at God his hands so severe, cruel and horrible a castigation? what dost thou make of God, protestant, in this thy judgement, or what of sin, in so slender an offence!  
4. furthermore what Hope the Catholic doth establish for honesty of life by 
Catholic purity against the Protestant.  the doctrine of this point, the Protestanter endeavoureth to annul, and make frustrate. We by the precepts of Hope and charity, which keepeth the law, strive manfully and resolutely against concupiscence, to the end we may eschew deadly and mortal sin, that concupiscence conceive not, and bring not forth sin, that concupiscence 
jacob. 5. Rom. 6. 7.  do not rule and reign in our souls, as the holy Apostles do advise us. But if true; what the Protestanter defineth, to wit, that the very first motion of the appetite, and the abrupt consent of will, is deadly and mortal sin, the which none can shume or or hinder, what need is there of any farther painful labour to resist and withstand temptation, or the first impressions? For now already sin hath made breach and entry, now is sin raining and raging in the soul in number and quality infinite, and therein are found continual violations of all the ten commandments, as confesseth the Protestanter? Neither can our fight abridge this number, in that perpetually the violation proceedeth from a corrupted nature day and might in all moments; bringing to pass also, that our very sight and resistance, the withdrawing of consent from concupiscence, be deadly and mortal sins, and whether we stand or fall, abide the battle or yield sine still, yea mortal sin, will prevail. In vain them Hope & charatie employed are in the field against concupiscence, against sin, when in their despite concupiscence contriveth sin and offences against all the commandments of God and nature. I inquire then of this impure Protestant, whether in the just or righteous sin of concupiscence do reign or no? If he admit the reign of concupiscence, and her empire in them, how then is he obedient to God, saying, Thou shalt not be concupiscente? and to the Apostle: Let not concupiscence reign in your mortal bodies? If he deny such reign, let him yield me a reason: Is it for that the will consenteth not to concupiscence? 
Sin reigneth in the just by the Protestant. Exod. 20. Rom. 6.  he can not allege that cause, in that he granteth with Caluine, the will of man to be the seat of sin, and that all concupiscence is performed with some consent of william. What meant then S Augustine and others, in their scrupulosity to cry out, God forbid that we should yield consent to concupiscence, seeing that our holy Protestanter a voucheth a necessity of consent to concupiscence, even in persons justified, and an impunity thereof as not imputed? Or finally doth not concupiscence reign, because the just do not consent unto it freely and deliberately? Nothing less, will say our Protestanter, in that according to his Theology, adultery, murder, theft, are sins 
Caluin. 3. Instit. c. 3. Wittak li. de concupise. Aug. l. 1. Ciu. c 25.  not of a free will, but of a will, that could Do no otherwise, of a will that wanted all sufficient grace to repel them. Than I conclude, that by the doctrine of a Protestant, In the very just reigneth concupiscence, that is sin in all kinds entereth whether man will or not, it defileth the soul, whether man will or not, it draweth out a consent of sin, whether a man will or not, and so is absolute mistress and commandress of the soul. Is not this to reign, to domineer, to command? It may be that out of his Puritanical paekerie he will tell me, that concupiscence reigneth not, although sin do command in the soul by motion and consent, because through a lively faith, in on apprehending God as his God, Christ as his Christ, all the varletrie 
No concupiscence hurt full to a loū● Protestant. S Augustin denieth that bad motions of concupiscence in saints, namely in S. Cyprian, did make them sinful. l. 2. con●. julian c 8 as if fight against motions of avarice, they were auaricious●.  and paltry of concupiscence is not imputed. A sweet resolution for a good hog, and the devils larderhouse: surely if the protestant use no perfumes, none can abide his loath some trash. Let him now soil this argument, if he can: There is no law that forbiddeth the sudden motions of concupiscence before free consent; neither is there any damage or loss to the soul by such concupiscence, or is it possible for any man to want the same concupiscence: Therefore neither is there any law forbidding theft or adultery, there is no damage to the soul by theft and adultery, no possitlitie for any person to avoid the sins of theft and aduterie, and so a faithful Protestant in a gospelling liberty, may commit what wickedness he listeth. The first part of the antecedent is evident, in that no reasonable law doth prohibit any action befalling man of necessity, as well in sleep as in watchfulness, in frenzy as in prudence, without a blasphemous imputation of a fond providence unto almighty God. The other two members, to wit, the impossibility to be without concupiscence, and that concupiscence hurteth not a Protestant by his faith not imputed, they admit themselves. The sequel then of the consequent is most apparent, in that according to to the Protestant, concupiscence is intrinsccallie and essentially theft, adultery, & all sins against the whole ten commandments: neither to theft and adultery is requisite by his doctrine freedom 
Notions of c●cupis●ence without frewill are things of nature and real qualities. & so cannot ●e sins. ●or thus etred the manichees: vos autem assertitis quandam naturam atque substantiam malam esse. Aug. lib. 2. de Mo●. ●●ccles.  of will▪ therefore as it is impossible to shun concupiscence, so also to repel theft, and adultery: and as concupiscence is not imputed for sin to a faithful Protestant, so neither are theft and adultery imputed for crimes, or are deadly stains of his soul. Hear than is our Protestanter stamping and swearing in the dirt of his own wickedness, with his nimble lively saith, still making God his god, and Christ his Christ, whilst he defileth himself with the excrements of hell, and odious humour of concupiscence. Nevertheless yet from his mouth, his person, and action so plunged in filth, issueth out the sacred words of the lord, of the justice of the lamb, of confidence in Christ, remaining just and righteous in the very act of knavery and villainy! How can here be any civility, and good aberance from our Protestanter to his prince and country, when he may attempt and effect what concupiscence shall determine, without loss to his sanctity, and to the justice of Christ apprehended by faith? How can remain on foot, or in flower urbanity, the proneness of nature so licenced to turpitude, to vice, the only maintainers and abetters of barbarism? where may virtue appear when fight against concupiscence and sin is misprised, for that sin continually will abound, be committed by all, and no means at hand to avoid the same? avant foul barbarian Epicure, who under a pretence that God is his god, and Christ is his Christ, sacrificeth to the devil upon the altar of his own belly, and abominable concupiscence. Fie Puritan, fie, are these good subjects, are they Christians, are they men▪ no rather the hatred of all honest & chase conceits of men. For example; why should a man strive against the suggestion to adultery or fornication, when the very temptation procured by the devil, the first apperite and desire is now already fornication and adultery, and the breaches of the law? And what a Prince is the devil, who according to protestancy stirring up the first motions at his pleasure, doth make men adulterers, fornicators, whether they will, or no! Impure Puritanisme.   

Hope in the Catholic is much provoked to virtue by faith believing the commdandements of God and nature to be possible. Contrariwise the Protestanter making them impossible, empaireth thereby the strength and courage of that great and sovereign virtue.  
CHAPTER. XIII.  
ALMIGHTY God hath enacted some laws and decrees for our good, and more 
Divine laws some natural some positive.  perfect direction in manners, which were nothing else but the very precepts of nature and right reason, as be the Ten cammandements, only excepted the religious observation of the Saboth upon a determinate da●: to the end that by a double obligation, to wit of nature, and so the written law of God, men might be addicted in more strict and rigorous sort to virtues, agreeable to nature, and her right enformance. Other laws there be appointed by almighty God, only depending in particular on his sacred will and pleasure, as were to the jew the legal rites, appertaining to religion, and in regard of us, of the same quality are the precepts of faith, of receiving the Sacraments, and of the profession of this faith, as is recorded in the new Testament. By the law of nature is meant that prescription of mind in man, the which proceedeth from him as a creature endowed with a reasonalbe soul, and is therefore a common 
What is natural la.  rule of life with all nations, and in all places, where reason is not clean overruled by sin and concupiscence, as the law forbidding adultery, fornication, stealth, murder, oppression of the poor commanding justice, temperance and fortitude, and such like natural desginements, tending to the maintenance moral and civil of a society and commercement betwixt man and man: without the which, as vice would abound, so also barbarism, and the destruction of all common good by necessity would ensue. which law is termed by the Apostle a natural law; in respect whereof they Gentiles by reasons document were a la to themselves. And this very self same law of 
Rom. ●.  nature is reduced to the divine law of God, in that reason, by God, as a representation of his one natural perfection, is imprinted in man, and consequently what trespass doth tranerse this natural law in man, arriveth to an open injury against God, and is a contempt of his eternal law, fountain and cause of all nature's precepts and commandries. 
Psalm. 4. D. Thom 1 2. 9 71. art 6. How th● law●s difficult yet possible.   
2. In regard of which law divine, and natural, for the observance thereof, we confess, the same to be made now more difficult; in that free will, even in the regenerate, is much enfeebled and weakened by concupiscence and proneness to unlawful contentments, forbidden by both those laws. yet nevertheless our Christian faith attributeth so much to the merits and grace of Christ, as that thereby the law is made possible unto us, yea a sweet and easy burden through the delight and force of charity, either to avoid sin forbidden by the law, or to perform the office and duty of 
Aug de spi●. & l●●. de Gr●● & l. a●b. ca 18.  virtue prescribed by the sme. The which verity is approved by all such places of Scripture, as pronounce the law of God and nature to be the rules of our actions and lives, and that the transgressors of them small be eternally punished, as enemies of God, rebels against his will and pleasure. For a rule hath this essentially, that it is to 
The la is a rule of our act●ons, conducteth men to grace and is fulfilled by Charity. Lexigitur adducit fidem, fides impetrat spiritum largiorem. diffundit spiritus chari●atem, implet charitas legem. Aug 〈◊〉 144. Aug. lib 2 de pecc●● merit. c. 6. de Na● & Gra● c 68 Firmissime 〈◊〉 ditur, D●um justum & bonum impossibilia non potuisse p●xcipere. Aug. lib. 1. de Nat. & Grat. ca 8. Rom 6 13 ciu. c 4.  rule the work of which it is rule: and so the work is to be adjudged as good, if conformable to the rule, or reproved as bad and culpable, if discordant or deficient from the directory thereof. Than if the law of God and nature be rules of our conversation, it is possible that we may answer unto them, they not exceeding over ability: for if the were place, as it were, out of our reach and compass, they should not concern us, or were we to aim at them with obligation of conformity; no more than are the Drapers in Wa●ling street bound to measure out their Cloth by Paul's steeple, or by the distance betwixt the two poles Arctic and Antarctic. Likewise if sinners be to be punished eternally in hell fire for transgressing the law of God and nature, and such transgressionsis displeasing unto almighty God, then may they consequently square out their demeanours just according to the tenor of those laws, otherwise in them there should he no culpable trepasse or offence: as one that is in drink through his default, hath no obligation from God or nature in that case, to stand on his see●e, or to take the rightie way in his journey, because i● is to him so to do impossible. This is the express doctrine of S. Augustine. By these, sayeth he, and many other innumerable testimonies, I can not Doubt, that either God hath commanded any thing to man impossible, nor that any thing is impossible, or that God afforderh not sufficient help that man may do that which he commandeth. And hereby it is manifest, that man if he will, helped by God, may be without sin. Truth it is, the law of itself, as teacheth the same Doctor, and we experience it, doth rather cause in us a prevarication, by the corruption of our nature egging us to rebel against the superiority of the law, if i● be severed from faith, and helping grace of God. ●he la doth she wou● disease, but recureth it not; yea by that it is not recured, it is increased: to t●e end that we more attentively and carefully search after the medicine of grace. Than viewing our own weakness and the difficulty of the law increasing the same, we must not surcease fro● work and observance towards the law, as the pilot doth from his charge beholding all round about in desperation: but we aught rather seek after grace, and labour with the same resolutely to the keeping of the law: that is after the law of charity, the which can with facility and delight perform the same. Therefore in the office of man, S. Augustime doth teach to be combined and coupled the double law of faith, & charity, the one serving to show us Christ as a means to assit us against the harsh empire of the law, the other as an heaven lie force to obey the same. To that end the la commandeth, that it may advertise saith what she is to do: That is, that when a man is commanded, if yet he is not of ability, he may know what he is 
Aug. de Spi●. & Lit. cap. 13.  to pray for. But if he can performent, and do it effectually, ●e must also know, by whose gift ●e is of that ability. Hereupon the same S. Augustine moveth a question, why the Apostle opposeth in contrariety the law of faith to the law of works: For; sayeth he, i● the old la was a la of works because it prohibited bad works as when it commanded thou 
Non concupisces; v●ique & Christ●anis, nullus ambigue, esse d●cendun● Aug. Epist. 200. Aug. lib. de Spir. & lit. c. 13. cap. 14● Aug. l. 3. count Iul●an c. 26 l. 3 count 2. Epis. Pelag●on. cap. 4 l. 4 c. ●. de ●●d. & Oper. c. 22. Epic 200. verum hoc fit non lege quae ho● impe●at, sed fide quae hoc impetrat.  shalt not kill, so doth also saith forbid the same. Than laying down a supposed answer, that faith is not a law of works, ●or that it doth not prescribe the works of the old law, now antiquated, he sayeth is not to be a insufficient solution: for although the Christian faith do not command those works, yet it commands others, proper unto the Sacraments of the n●w la. Therefore he acknowledgeth the law of the Christian faith to be a law of works, of virtues, as well as the old law: yea in a more perfect manner, in that more eminent active virtue is to be expected of a Christian, than of a jew; only designing this difference betwixt those two laws of works, that by the old law of works was in man increased concupiscence, and that an external terror was adjoined to perform with enforcement the work of the law: but by the law of faith is detected Christ unto us, and by him is obtained grace delightful, to fulfil the law, giving these words to the old law of works, Do that I command, and these to the law of faith, Da quod jubes: O lord gene me grace to do as thou dost command. Than the law of Christian faith is a law of works, that is a law of charity, as expoundeth S. Augustine: The which delivereth us from sin and prevatication By the la of faith, which is in Christ jesus, when charity is powered out into our hearts, by the holy Ghost, which is given unto ●s. Now the Portestantish heretic in this matter first abuseth the law of faith, then maketh void the law of Hope, charitiy & all honesty, as shall by the sequel appear.  
2. Faith is placed by the Protestanter as a virtue opposite to all virtue, and a security 
The Portestants obedience to God and nature in only faith, and the sweet burden of all by this faith. Luth. l. de ●ibert. Ch●●st & Tom. 4. p. ●8 Q●●● h●c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ableges Moise● Bal●un● & H●●sum c● s●a lege, 1. c 9 ullo ●odo ●● moue●nt terrones & m●n●iphus. Hic simpliciter ●● tibi suspectus, ut haereticus▪ Excommunicatus, Damnatus, dete●ior Papa, & Diabo●o, ide● pro●sus non audiendus Calu. 2▪ Instil. c. 7 Sect. 7. Sect. 10.  for the concupiscence of all sin▪ wherefore when this faith in the brains of a Protestant beholdeth, through man's weakness▪ notwithstanding any grace to the contrary, the law of God and nature to be impossible, and not to be performed by him without deadly sin and disobedience, it doth not excite in him hopeful charity to resist Satan and concupiscence, and so to keep the law, as it ought, that being impossible and as botteles, as if a man would strive to beat back the flowing waves of the Ocean sea▪ but layeth fast hold on the justice of Christ, telling the party, that he in Christ hath fulfiled the law, and doth now fulfil it, although mortally breaking it, and sinning against it, in that such breach and violation is not to him imputed. He can play the coll●or, and yet not grime his fingers; rebel, and be a good subject; keep the law, and violate it both together: a strange juggling trick of a Prote●ant! I pray God it be not some sorcery from the devil, and such a fa●● and lose, as will tu●●e finally to his own ruin and damnation. First then he deemeth it a thing absolutely impossible to observe the natural and divine commandments of justice, of temperance, of continency, of obedience to God and man, so as none can avoid the breach of them all by as many mortal sins, as continually boil ou●e of concupiscence, making men by necessity guilty of adultery of fo●●ication, injustice and the like; so that it is impossible in this respect to keep the law of God and nature forbidding such offences. The la therefore, as speaketh Caluine, is to us as it were a glassy, i● the which we beholds our imptencie, and of it iniquity, and lastly of them both our malediction. ●o than the law is no means or directory for virtue, but a mere occasion of offence and trespass: to the end, That men naked and void may fl●e to the mercy of God; believing by faith their own imbecility, and that nothing committed against the law is imputed, which impossibility for the observance of the law, they also acknowledge to be found in the just and regenerate: By the folly of the flesh, yea the children of God, laseiviunt, do play the wantoness. Where the law doth not bridle them from inward breach of the law by a consent against God, and nature, given unto sin, but only in some sort restayneth them from outward performance of iniquity: yea neither thus much. For who knoweth not, that any Protestant may remaining in estate of apprehending faith, by external action offend? And if by internal consentment, why not by outward execution, when means and possibility are presented? Than against the possibility of the law the Protestant defineth, that the very keeping of the law is sinful in two respects against the law itself. First for that every observance of the law is infected with 
Observing of the Law is sinful by the Protestā●.  deadly sin, passing as clear water though the channel of a natural concupiscence, and of a faculty of the soul sineefull by an inclination in it to sin: then for that every duty towards the same arriveth not to that perfection of deggee & pitch, by resistance of an adjoined concupiscence, to which it aught, although in that respect it be impossible, and so is sinful and worthy of damnation, as a manifest transgression of the law. And whereas the question about the possibility of the law of God and nature inquireth, whether men by the grace of God may by continency, and justice, avoid fornication, & adultery, and by other virtues tempted to vice repulse or no the whole crew of mortal sins, as of envy, murder, rebellion, sacrilege, blasphemy, the Protestant although he think it impossible for any man to live chaste, or righteously, to be free from their crimes, yet ashamed to utter his opinion, playeth and dallieth only with a certain quality of the law, making the law to us impossible not absolutely, & 
Abb. def. pag. ●69.  in substance, b●t According to the full measure and perfection thereof. The trial will clear● the truth.  
3. Whereas the Catholic both in love towards Christ our Redeemer, as also in 
Impossibility of the substance of the la according to the Protestant.  the employments of all the virtues, which fulfil the law, is through Hope buselie occupied, acknowledging a sufficient grace from Christ his merits to observe the law, and so to shun such deadly offences, as violate the same, the Protestanter taketh the sentence of the law as a thing impossible, confessing, that in him concupiscence doth so reign, as that of necessity he by action thereof continually offendeth against the law of God and nature, having no possibility to the contrary, and so remaineth guilty of fornication, of injustice, of intemperance, pleading an impossibility for any man in the very substance of the work, to keep the law, or to avoid such mortal sins, as are in the law prohibited. Whereby he taketh the law not as a means to virtue, to integrity of life, as the Catholic with S. Augustin doth, but only as an occasion and 
Sarcina quip illa, quae infirmitat● graves est, levis efficitur charitati. Aug de Grat. & li. arb. c. 17 spi. 144. 200.  inducement to sin. Neither doth he behold Christ in faith, as from him to receive a grace of a competent force to keep the law, and repulse such crimes as are therein forbidden, but only beholdeth him on the cross as a benefactor, the which will not impute fornication to a fornicator, disobedience to a disorderly person, hat●ed to a rancorous humour, or finally any sin to a man believing, never so sinful. Is not here then in the Protestant the course of Hope abridged, the life thereof struck dead with an insensible stupidity, when a christian man can not in substance observe the law, but of necessity overmaistered with concupiscence must permit sin to invade and besiege the soul, to possess it, and overwhelm it with all iniquity, proscribed in the law? This, this is the bestiality of Luther, imagining in his drink and apostasy all the laws of God and nature to be kept in one sole act of faith, not in charity otherwise crossed and violated with act of intemperance and disobedience! All which laws 
Luth. l de Libert. Christ.  sayeth he, Thou mayst after by a compendious way fulfil by only faith. Than a Protestant according to a new trick, after the old damned Puritan, can trespass against temperance, against continency, break all the ten commandments by concupiscence, by fornication, adultery, murder, steelth and yet keep them all believing such crimes not to be imputed! O goodly Hope Protestantish, idle from good fact, and secure in a licentious turpitude, when the ●ais of faith shall make all whole and clean, where against Hope and charity all sins have made up their games! A proper manner 
The la is not fulfilled in only faith Ne quisquam e●●stimer. 〈◊〉 eyes ad solam fidem pertine●e Aug. de Fid. & oper. ca ●●.  of obedience to the law, when an oftender in act against the same obsetueth it by faith, and so a drunkard in Christ is sober, although a beast in the tavern: when his will diveth to hell in despite of God, the understanding mounteth to heaven to apprehended the justice of the lamb! And for whom? for a varlet, for a drunkard, for a libidinous person, for one that keepeth the law of God and nature with his eyes, and breaketh them with his hands, feet, and all parts of his body and soul? O vile Antichristian faith? Than let the Protestanter take it for a feather of his own wing, and a declaration from his own mouth, and be not ashamed at it; to wit, that the law of God and nature is in substance absolutely impossible, and not only so in quality of degree and perfection: that is the law is impossible to man, as that he may either furnish himself with such virtues, as are prescribed in the law, or eschew such sins, as are forbidden in the same; in that it is impossible, that when temptation is present or urgent, as always it is, that concupiscence should not break forth into deadly offences against the law of God and nature, or bring it to pass, that the very regenerate be not guilty of licentiousness in wanton pleasures, of injury against their neighbours, of impiety against God. Whereupon doth it ensue, that not only the law of God and nature is in substance impossible to the regenerate, but also that such persons may do what they list without hurt to their justice, in that the manifold violations of all such laws to them by a certain faith are not imputed. why then should Hope or charity endeavour to fulfil the law, it being impossible in substance to perform it? whey should Hope dread and fear any breach of the law, it being not imputed? But this bestialirie of a justifying faith, where charity and friendship with God is lost and violated by breach of his holy commandments, is thus reproved by S. Chrisostome. Let us not think, 
Chrys hom. 9 in joan.  my dear friends, that faith is sufficient for us to salvation: for unless we add a pure life, and cloth ourselves in garments, worthy of the heavenly vocation, whereby we may be admitted unto the marriage, nothing, nothing shall defend us from that punishment, wherewith that miserable wretch was tormented. Let the Protestanter show unto me, how one preserveth in his soul charity, and is attired with the wedding garment of that virtue, whilst he breaketh all the ten camaundements, hateth and iniurieth his brother, and finally is 
●oan. 2 4.  oppressed with all vice and deadly sins? To the same sense also excellently well an other doctor of that Church, S Cirill of Alexandria, R●mayne you in me and I in you. as the palm: etc. most manifestly out of this place we learn, that men are branches by a sincere 
joan 16. Cuil: Ibid. Psal 62. No consent to sin hurtful to a Protestant. 〈◊〉 l. 3. de 〈◊〉 oh 〈◊〉.  faith engrafted into the vine: But we must have no less care also, to stick unto Christ by charity, that is by observing his commandments, crying with the Prophet, my soul hath been fastened after thee. Therefore it is not sufficient to perfection, which is by Christ in spirit, to be in the number of branches, but it is behove full with burning charity, and continual innocency to follow Christ: In which thing especially consisteth the virtue of a spiritual conjunction Whereupon it being evident, that this doctrine Protestantishe is wholly bend to turpitude and dissolution of life, thus one of that sect endeavoureth to smooth up his matter and soul heresy: The regenerate by grace can in this life not obey orconsent unto evil desires: but for th●● not at all to be concupiscent, that the la commandeth, that is to want all evil desires, is only reserved for the estate to come of the blessed. First this resolution implieth a flat contradiction, distinguishing desire from consent; as if the just might choose whether they would consent or not, but not whether they desire that which is evil or no: for consent is nothing else but an act of the will agreeing and according to the inducement 
D. Thom. 1. ● q. 30. & 40. ●● 1. Azor l. ●. just. c. 8. Luc. ●●.  and persuasion in the understanding or suggestion; but desire of bad pleasure, is of that quilitie, therefore desire is consent. Did not our blessed Saviour consent to his father, and his own charity, saying; I have desired in desire to eat of this pasche with you? Than thus I argue: The just and regenerate may desire any forbidden act by consent of will without damage to their justice, therefore they may with the like indemnity perform in outward work any wickedness desired. The Antecedent is granted, in that it is impossible otherwise to happen, or for any to want bad desires. The consequent is also thus proved. The outward act can be no more deadly of itself, when occasion is presented to perform it, than is the wish and desire thereof: yea the outward act hath all malice derived unto it from the souls inward will and affection: therefore if 
D. Tho●●. ●●. ● 74. a●●●.  it be no loss to justice the desire, neither is the outward operation; and if the regenerate may persisting in estate of grace wish the forbidden use of any creature, they may also effect the same. Than it as apparenthe false according to the doctrine Protestantishe, that a man although just may by grace choose whether he will obey or consent to evil desires or no. For if the just do commit deadly sins, and continually do violate in act and work the whole ten cammandements, as this writer himself confesseth, how do they not obey then and consent to evil desires? in that sin is an obedience and a service due unto the flesh and Satan: yea this same Caluinister admitteth, that 
Wittak lib. ●. de p●●●. orig. c. 1.  concupiscence in the just is always with some consent. Therefore the just may obey and consent to any wickedness forbidden in the law, and it shall not be to them imputed, or prejudicial to their justice; and they themselves know certainly by faith as much. Did not David in his murder and adultery consent to evil desires, and obey them? did not also S. Peter in the denial of his master consent to a sinful desire, and obey it, being bad and forbidden? Than thus I Dispute: The just may without loss to justice obey evil desires, and consent unto them, and so break the law of God and nature; Therefore according to the Protestant, that law of God and nature to the parties so offendant was in substance impossible to be kept, and they could do no otherwise. The Antecedent is admitted by the adversary; the consequent is also manifest: for men have not free will, as the Protestant deemeth; they do then sin and break the law of God and nature of necessity, as David and S. Peter did: If of necessity, than there was no ability in them ●● the contrary, and so the law forbidding such facts absolutely, was to them in substance impossible. Than is the law of God and nature impossible to the just, and they have no power not to consent, or not to obey concupiscence, to the violation of the law of God and nature. Yea hereby the Protestanter intending nothing else but a liberty of sin, debarreth himself of sin, and turneth all sin into an harmless delight. For what man doth against the law of necessity, being an impossibility implied in the observance of the law, is excusable, and not justly to be reputed as sin, no more than are the motions of cernalitie in one, that is asleep, according to S. Augustine. Suerlie a pretty trick of the Protestanter, 
Aug. li 1. C●● c. 5.  to enjoy his pleasant bait of pleasure, and in the mean while to couson the devil of the sin! Thus is it averred, how the Protestantish doctrine maketh the law of God and nature absolutely and in substance impossible, in that deadly sin against the law, of necessity, by concupiscence, by consent and choice, yea by external act, entereth and possesseth the justest, that liveth. Let him then not blush henceforth, or restayne his pen from witnessing this fair document of his own soul Minerva. 4. We Catholiks in all diligency of Hope employ charity in good action, in that we 
Possibility of the la is matter of virtue, the impossibility, of vices.  think by her operation, and the works of the virtues, we may answer in a competent sort to the prescript of the law, & that laudably to the performance of morality, decency, honesty, & avoidance of deadly & mortal offence. This hope maketh us exactly as we can to compose and square out our actions according to the rule and measure of the law; reputing it an absurdity to think, that God proposeth to our intelligences a law, or rule of a matter or endeavour impossible, or that men are indeed culpable, for not attaining of a thing, or a degree of action, the which to them is not achevable. But the Protestanter, to the end he with his pleasant faith may clip from the Samson of Hope all the hairs of fortitude, deprives it of all courage to do well, or to observe the law, esteemeth in general, the obedience, by the just performed towards the law of God and nature, by two means as hath been rehearsed, to be deficient and polluted with deadly sin. First in that the very keeping of the law by grace, and as deed of virtue, passeth from a faculty of nature corrupted, and being therein seated, is stained thereby with mortal crime odious to God, and justly derseruing hell fire: so that in this respect the law is impossible to be observed, to wit to the avoidance of mortal sin. Moreover he teacheth, that every good work of the just, or the obedience of 
Nothing but sin is by the la according to the Protestant.  them toward the law, to be sinful, in that it arriveth not to the hight of that perfection and quality it ought, throughte the impediment of a natural concupiscence to it adjoined, & therefore the fault is culpable, hateful to God, and a very breach of the law worthy hell fire: although that degree of perfection assigned by the law, be to every one impossible. Whereupon for the maintenance of sin by Antichrist, thus may be framed an argument. In the act of virtue, or abseruance of the law, is included two mortal sins; the one derived from the corruption of original sin, yet remaining, the other from a defect, in not attaining to that perfection it ought, and hath in charge from the law: therefore it is better not to work at all in virtue, or to violate the law, than to keep and observe it. The Antecedent is granted by the Protestanter; the consequent is of like admittance; for in breaking the law, or in not keeping it, is found one only sin, as for example, that of fornication, adultery, theft, or of such like offence: But in the observance of the law are committed two sins, one of concupiscence, the other of violating the law, prescribing a thing impossible: therefore it is better not to keep the law, than to keep it: in that it is better to commit one sin, than two, especially when these two are deadly and damnable, as the Protestant teacheth, and of equal guilt each of them in several with that one. And as concerning the perfection and degree of excellency in the obedience towards the law of God, and nature, we 
What perfection is required to keep the la.  confess, by concupiscence and proneness to forbidden pleasures it much to be in all hindered: not that internally the act of charity or virtue observing the law, is sinful, but in respect of many venial sins accompanying it, evil habits and customs acquired, hindering from that perfection of virtue, to the which we might else attain, 
Aug l. de perfect just ca 8. In qua plen●tud ne Charitatis praeceptum illud iniprebitur, Diliges Domin● Deum t●●m.  and the which in final degree we are only in heaven to enoye, as notheth S. Augustin. Yet not with standing as by the grace of Christ these venial offences may be subdued, and good habits and customs induced, so we may continually perfect ourselves as concerning the commendable quality of our duty towards the law. But to affirm with the Protestanter first, that the degree of this our obedience prescribed in the law is to us impossible, than that men sin deadly in the very act of virtue and observation of the law, for that they arrive not to the same, is blasphemy against God, and very open valla●ie injurious to human society: blasphemy imputing to God his providence under pain of deadly sin an exaction of a task to us impossible, and that many are to be damned in hell eternally, for not attaining to that they could not: likewise a villainy against virtue, staining it by necessity with mortal sin, discouraging men from endeavour of keeping the law, and making the law of God and nature no law at all, or rule of our lives. For that which is beyond our reach and power, is not to us any rule; seeing we cannot apply the rule to the action to be ruled, or by our action answer to the rule; and then as the law is impossible, so no rule, no law at all; or are we bound to observe the same, and fashion out our lives to the prescript thereof, and therefore breach of the law in us is no sin; for where is no law, 
Rom. 4.  there is no sin, as determineth the Apostle.  
5 Than Christian reader, consider well with thyself, whether to tendeth the protestantish 
The cause why a Protestant deemeth the la impossible. Hier. l. 2. cont. ●ouin. Aug li. 3 de l. arb. ca 18.  faith of justification, and thou shalt perceive it to have for full burt and period nothing so much, as the destruction of Hope, Charity, and all honesty with civility: which faith of theirs maketh the law of God and nature, in substance of good action, impossible: it war●anteth men with indemnity from any hurt by violation of the law of God and nature, or by any bestial misdemeanure what soever against reason and her commandry. It taketh from men a zeal and promptitude to fulfil the law, persuading them, that it is impossible: It directeth to all wickedness, telling us that the law is not given us to observe and keep it by the grace of Christ, being impossible; but only that we trespassing deadly and mortally against the same, acknowledge our infirmity, curse and malediction of estate thereby, merely all relief and protection to be reposed in a faith, not in that, the which by grace Keepeth the law, but in a faith, the which looking upon Christ, believeth that no breach of the law, no consent and desire against the law, finally no sin against the law, is imputed, or is Damageable to the soul: and that men actually violating the law of God & nature in such manner believing, and by only saith Do in Christ undoubtedly observe the law: that by Christ they are above the law, freed from the law, as not concerning their behaviours. And hereon wilt thou conclude, that this Doctrine Protestantish bendeth wholly to an unreasonable, unconscionable, brutish and a hellish life, to the maintenance of sin and wickedness, to the barbarising of all human society, and as a fi●t project of Antichrist, so an evident argument of his empire in the designs of the Protestanters; let the matter be never so fraudulently coloured under a pretence of faith, of trust in Christ, confidence's in the lord, or of Christian liberty.   

The positive laws of the Church, & of the Civil magistrate, are admitted by the Catholic Hope as bands & obligations of men's consciences, and therefore for purity and integrity of life it standeth in prime and flower against the Protestanters, acknowledging no such debt of duty from them arising.  
CHAPTER. XIIII.  
THE effects of divine grace, as hath been declared, on which Christian hope 
How hop● doth respect authority of magistrate.  relieth, are most ●ullie signified by such figures in the new Testament, as did represent as well the person of the holy Ghost, as also his inspired gifts, bestoed on the Catholic church. Namely tow of them, as remarketh S. Gregory, do principally afford such signification: to wit the shape of a dove, and that of fire. In a dove, & infi●r the holy Ghost appeared, for that all who are replenished the● with do so accommodate 
Greg. l. ● job. Cap. 1.  themselves to the simplicity of mansuetude, that also they be inflamed with Zeal of justice against the saultes of delinquentes. Humility therefore, figured in the dove, is the proper spirit of Christian Hope, not only courageously as by fire, setting upon adverse difficulties, but moreover inclining by meekness of the dove to lawful superiority: as that of the church, and civil common wealth, with all duty, and obeisance. For in deed not only churches laws do avail us to virtue, and beatitude, aimed at by hope, but also the forms, and decrees of civil society serve much to the same purpose of virtue, and beatitude: and therefore effectually are to be regarded by hope, as fit means to accomplish her desired end and designment.  
2. Public authority is a necessary means for a community to procure and preserve 
The power of a magistra●e or community of what force.  in itself the general good of many, and to prescribe to each particular subject what is to be done, and what to be eschewed. And as every single member of a society aimeth at his proper and peculiar good, so the magistrate, whether ecclesiastical or civil, setteth before his eyes as the end of his commandry the universal commodity of the whole body and common wealth. Wherhfore in that particular persons are to live accordingly▪ as their actions may stand with the common advantage, therefore as in innocency of conscience they cannot any wise endamage that common good: yea rather for it they are to be content to lose or impa●re their private utility; so likewise by bond of conscience, and under that great damage of sin, they are to submit their allegeances to the obeying of their superiors just laws & decrees. And 
How la doth ob●ge  as one which trespasseth against right reason, the nearest and most immediate rule of our behaviours, consequently offendeth against God, author and giver of that reason, so one rebelling against public superiority, as concludeth the Apostle, by a consequent 
Rom. 13.  offendeth against the sovereignty of almighty God, who appointed and imparted the same unto man: Therefore they that resist power, do resist th● ordinance of God. what 
●. Pet. 2.  greater harm to conscience, than to oppose itself by transgression against the decree of God? Those that do resist, acquire to themselves damnation. Be you therefore subject to every human● creature for God. Damnation is not due but for offence and sin of conscience: neither is obedience to be surrendered for God, but for that conscience so prrescribeth. So likewise the Apostle S. Paul exhorteth servants to obey their masters, as in place of Christ, doing the will of God from the m●nde, and not only to the outward appearance 
Ephes. 6.  of the eye, but in simplicity of your hearts, as for conscience sake, and upon a fear not to offend God by sin. The quality of which offence we understand to be, according 
The quality of offence committed against the la. Rom. 13.  to the moment of the thing commanded or forbidden, in regard of the common good: and so by disobeying the public magistrate in a matter much concerning the same, is contracted a mortal sin, as the greatest harm of conscience, according to which conscience, and not only propter iram, to avoid pain, as counseleth the Apostle, men aught to live in subjection.  
3. Neither is this obligation in conscience to obey ecclesiastical and civil laws against 
Christian liberty wherein it consifieth.  Christian liberty, yea rather it is greatly conformable thereunto: for what can better beseem our liberty, than occasions of virtue, and bonds that tie men fast to honesty and decency of action, as vows do, and precepts of superiors; in that the law still commandeth one virtue or other, and so is an obligation to virtue, to the exercise of right reason, as an office most fitting Christian liberty? For our Saviour Christ is not so according to the Apostle the end of the law, as besides only faith, either the law were superfluous, impossible, or not of force to oblige the conscience, but in this sense expressed by S. Augustine, he is rather the end of the law: He is said to be 
Augustin in Psal. 45.  the end, not for that he doth cons●●e it, but for that he doth perfect it for so wesay meat to be ended, which is eaten, and a coat to be ended, that is finished; Christ is then the end of the la, because without him none observe the la. So that faith only is not the complete observance of the la, whilst one believeth, transgressing the same, such breach by him committed not to be imputed, but charity is absolutely requisite keeping the law. ●●en, saith S. Augustine, have seared, to wit, those of the old Testament, and they have 
Aug. in Ps. 98.  not fulfilled the law; others have loved, in the new, and they have fulfilled it. So that the differences, which part those two laws, are fear, and charity, not obligation, and no obligation, condition, and no condition in respect of the law, as brutishlie the Protestanter deviseth. Those men seared and rob others, these have loved, and given away their ow●e: whereupon the true liberty of the gospel is reposed in charity, that keepeth the law▪ not too faith that excuseth from offence, when trespass is against the law. There is, sayeth S Augustine, a kill letter, but when the quickening spirit i● present, it doth ma●e 
Aug l. de spi●, & lit. c. 18.  this witten 〈◊〉 in us is be beloved, which b●fore written outwardly, as la, made us to fear it.  
3. The Protestanter generally by his privilege of the evangelical liberty, exemteth 
The Protestants liberty against the la. So did A●rius the A●●a● heretic exempt himself from appointed fasts: Ne videatur esse sub lege. Rom. 14. Aug. de ha●es. Cal. ● 2 Instit c 19 Sect. 4. Field. l. 4. pag. 271.  himself from all bond of conscience in respect of external things commanded either by Prince, or Prelate; admitting no power in man to oblige him in conscience. Thus Caluine determineth, expounding those words of the Apostle S. Paul. I know that nothing is common: By which words the Apostle subjecteth all things external to our liberty, so that in our minds we conceive the reason of that liberty. Hear also are comprised all ceremonies of free observation, that by no necessity men's consciences be bound to ●eepe them; but they are to ●●●mber, 〈◊〉 by the benefit of God the use of them to be subject unto them to edification. A counterie man of ours in his course and country Theolegie sayeth, that no Prince hath power to prescribe any thing under pain of sin, unless, the party, whom the law respecteth, in some sort were bound before such law, by the law of God to the same: yet he confesseth, that some human laws bind to performance by their utility, and that they can not be transgressed without sin. In which doctrine with falcitie is combined a contradiction. For if some human laws can not be transgressed without sin, than those laws bind the conscience as human laws, and not by virtue of sole divine law: in that before the decree of the Prince, no such law or bounden 
The la of a Prince is of force from God to oblige. Aug. epi. 166. Name & inter homines p●nas l●●t, & apud Deum sortem non habebit, qui ho● sacere noluit, quod ei per cor Regis ipsa veritas jussit.  duty was known, or appointed for us as rule of men's actions, and therefore the Prince's heart, as teacheth S. Augustin, by his new decree doth oblige in conscience, for that the contrary fact to this obedience had been no sin, if the prince had not enacted his law. How then true, that no human law can be commanded under pain of sin and damnation, as he sayeth it can not? And if human law hath such force of obligation, in that the law of God is contained in the law of the Prince, from which all power of commandry is derived, we agreed that Prince's laws bind in conscience, in that they can not be transgressed without sin against the law divine. But hereon to impute the whole obligation to God his law, and none to the Prince's statute, is folly and ignorance: For although God his law be a general rule of men's consciences, yet of them an inward and particular rule is right reason, and it bindeth under sin, although he with resolution of bond in it to God, as author of right reason. So a rule of men's actions, extern and immediate, is the power in the Prince to make a law for virtue, and to draw forth a particular conclusion or determination of matter deduced from general reason, which law of prince is our rule with obligation, although it imply in it as 'cause the prime power of God, from which the Prince originally derived what he hath for the government of others. Than as Prince's laws under God are rules, so under him are they obligations of consciences, and conclusions or determinations of right reason: and here on the transgression of the Prince his law, is a robelling against reason, and against God, fountain of law and reason. But will you hear of a trick of the Protestantish liberty? It is a matter of conscience to seek and procure the good 
Field supra.  of the common wealth, and that therefore it is a matter of conscience to obey good and profitable laws, so far as we are persuaded our obedien●ess profitable. So that when the Prince hath enacted the law, the matter must appear at the bar of the ministers conscience, and the liberty of his gospel for a passport: and if he break it in conscience, his faith will help him with a quittance from hurt, believing either it did not bind in conscience, or the breach of it not to be imputed. Finally as concerning resistance that may be given to princes and their laws, the Protestanters are g●erallie of opinion, that 
Power of the subject against the Prince by the Protestant.  the subjects may bear arms in the field against Princely proceed that sha● impair their rights and liberties: and that they themselves, or the nobility, exempted from the prince, may judge or examine the same. Prince's now, sayeth one. have certain terms assigned them, the which of they excceede, those of the nobility think 〈◊〉 lawful by force 
Abbot l. 1. de Antich. cap. 7. sect. 6. Bilson sur. Lord Salis.  to depulse unjust oppression, and to cast of that yoke, by which against the laws they are oppressed. How then do Princes hold immediately of God, and how the whole controversy, in any bad demeanour of his, is to be only remitted to God, as last period of a subjects obedience, when the nobility may rise in arms against the princes unjust proceed? yet for fear, his pen quaking, as it seemeth, ●n recording of this puritanical doctrine, he addeth a sovereign treacle. It must be done Citra principis 〈◊〉, without injury to the Prince. Mercy, good wise man of Gotham; The common wealth may ●●se in arms, the subjects may by fire and sword defend their liberties against the Prince, they may refuse to depose arms at his commandry, they may besiege his servants in their own houses, or in his court, and yet all this gentle man l●ke, and courteous war in rose water, must be done withouto injury to the Prince! How do men of arms laugh to hear this flattering minister in his deep policy! But to the trial.  
4. As we Catholics acknowledge in ourselves an obligation of conscience towards 
Virtue procured by bond of laws against the Protestant.  the laws of the ecclesiastical and civil magistrate, so do we deem, that most strictly we are bound to obey their laws, as thereby directed to the exercise of virtue, in that every good law aimeth at virtue, and commandeth nothing else but the honesty thereof. On the contrary side, it is a wonder to consiter the ●arnalitie of the Protestanter, and to mark how in some things he confesseth a necessity of sin, and in others freeth himself from the same. The sudden motions of a natural concupiscence before consent must needs by his verdict be mortal sins, to the end that men care not to sin, ●r to busy themselves much to resist the forces of such enemies: and now the breach of the Churches and Prince's law must be no sin, or of any ability to endamage the soul of a transgresser with sin, to the end that a gospelling or gossiping liberty may range at pleasure, and respect no sovereignty of superior. A strange kind of scrupulosity in the former, and here in this later a vast manner of liberty▪ the one and the other suitable to the desires of pleasure, and lawless concupiscence. If then the positive law of the Church and Prelate do not bind in conscience, no sin is committed if they be broken or violated, & danger of sin is also avoided, and thereby a principal inducement is taken away serving to the use of virtue in the oblyging law. Also where commodity and delight shall in privacy make lure to our Protestant for breach of civil and ecclesiastical laws, what may restrain him from disorder, from hurting the community? Not sin, whose princely conscience is elevated far above the reach of any law of man. Not penalty; in that secrecy of the fact, and crafty conveyance of the same, will bar out the proceed of any tribunal. Hear is our Protestant now in his perfect liberty, sometimes to sin, and yet not to sin, at other seasons not to sin, when he well deserveth the cord, and the stretch due to a sinner. How can any Protestantlyving thus invested in his fancy and malapert liberty, prove himself a good subject? I do not say, a good christian, for this is but a waiting man of the former, but a good subject, an office pretnded by the Protestant above heaven and earth when he shall not sin, offend God, or hurt his soul by robbing by transgressing of all the princes laws and statutes? And who knoweth not but to obey this particular prince is originally from a positive and human law of the common wealth? If then civil laws bind not the conscience otherwise then doth the divine 
seditious Doctrine of Field.  law before civil ordinance, neither is the Protestant obliged in conscience to accept his majesty in England for his prince, or to obey any of his decrees; in that before such civil constitution his personal dignity was not ordained: how then a good subject? Can a parliament, or a commonwealth enforce a man his conscience to accept of this man for a prince, sayeth a Protestant? Not answereth the Caluinister, for we must always know ourselves free from all human appoin●tmentes, as things indifferent unto us, either to be accepted by the conscience, or otherwise. Hear lieth the good subject ship, that is the Christianity of a Protestanter, on the ground. Were not these the sonnets of Protestantish ministers, recorded by our Sovereign king james? In their pre 
Basil. Dor.  v●hments they often times defamed me, not that they accused me of any vice, but only that I was a king; the which they deem to be of all evils the most heinous: some of them spo●e plainly to the people what they thought in their minds, saying, that kings and princes where in deed enemies of the ecclesiastical liberty, neither that they could patiently bear the yoke of Christ. But we will more closely for the maintenance of virtue, honesty, religion and civility press the Protestant with this argument.  
5. Right reason informeth any subject, that good and profitable laws, serving well 
Why human laws bind ●● conscience.  to virtue, and to the common utility, are to be observed, therefore the violation of them is against right reason, and so sin The Antecedent cannot be denied; in that right reason preferreth the common good before any private interest, & telleth us, that if the law be violated, the common good is thereby impaired, and finally all princely commandrie is like to come to contempt. The consequent is also evident: for that sin is nothing else but a contrarying of right reason, the immediate rule of human actions, and so a breach also consequently of the divine law, from which reason doth descend. Therefore if the breaking of a civil law be against reason, it is against the ordinance of God, and a sin If it be answeered, that it is a sin indeed, yet not in respect of any binding authority of the law, but only in regard of God, and Reason, it will appear but a foolish evasion. For almighty God as he governeth men by reason, so also by power of superior, by his decree and law. For the determination of reason in many things to every particular subject is not known, before the law of the Prince be enacted, and then reason concludeth by conscience, that is by a practical resolution, that the law is to be observed. Also positive laws of the Prince be not allwaise the first general principles of active and civil life, or conclusions, evidently traced from them, but rather ordinatilie are applications of them to particular matter, and to circumstances of time, and place: and so bind the conscience by a proper virtue, and not only by virtue of divine and natural law. Whereupon the Apostle sayeth that this power of commandry in the Prince is of God, and so our rule of 
Rom. 1●.  reason and conscience is from God. Also he affirmeth, that the violation of the prince's law, is a resistance against the power of the Prince, and therefore vicious and culpable, because it is a resistance also against God, that gave that power to the Prince. Than is the power of a prince from God a rule for our reason and conscience, and a trespass against his law is sinful, in as much as repugnant to his law and power of commandry given him by almighty God. But what needeth the Protestant be so 
No sin imputed to a Protestant: no black butter will stick on his bread.  scruptulous and dainty, as to deny the breach of the Princes ●aw to be sin, as if he were afraid of sin, and not rather familiarly acquainted with it? Why should he dispute wh●●h●r it be sin or not, whether the law ●ynde in conscience or not, when let the worst fall that may, a lively faith will pay for all, will sup up all, will ransom all? And if he, in his faith and justice, may without damage violate by concupiscence all the ten commandments, as he sayeth he may offend in fornication, adultery, theft, and yet be never the worse, to what purpose should ●e dr 〈…〉 to deceive the civil magistrate in smaller matters, as in transporting of a little corn and armour, in wearing apparel forbidden, in not contributing to a●mes houses, to the building up of Paul's st●●ple, and in such minute observations, when a faith strongly apprehendant, in a conscience never so rampant, will clear the coast before the Lord, and satisfy God, where the Prince is never so much injuried? The●e be the fair sweet civil subjects of the Merilands.   

Hope by the Catholic faith is busily set on work about prayer and piety for the obtaining of heavenly grace: the which unctuous function is abolished by the faith Protestantish.  
CHAPTER. XV.  
AS the virtue of piety and prayer performed towares almighty God, in recognizance 
Prayer is religion, and petition. D. Thom. 2●. q. 8●. ●●. ●. A●o●. l. 9 I●st. c. 29. Aug ser. 230. Ep. 121.  of his supreme power and majesty, implieth a certain worship of him as the diui●e Lord, & a repay of that duty▪ we o● unto him as creator of all things, so likewise is it a singular means to incline his sacred providence to mercy and indulgence, as well to preserve in us what grace we a●lredie enjoy, as also for the future time in the imparting of that gift, of which we stand most in need. Prayer therefore as well noteth S. Augustine, is an ascension of the mind from earthly things to heavenly, a searching after heavenly commodities, and a desire of that good, which 〈…〉 sible. Principally this office and duty of prayer is effected by the inward faculties of the soul: To th●e O Lor● my heart hath spoken! and sometimes is declared and stirred up by the voice: I have 
Psa. ●6. P●. 141. Conditions of pra●e●. Serm. 2●0. Aug. Ep. 121.  cr●●d with my voice unto our lord, and with my voice I have requested our Lord. Whereupon it receiveth an especial force from the quality and condition of the person, out of which it proceedeth, as from the purity thereof, and from a removal by repentance of all such grievous offences, as are odious unto almighty God: also from humility, prostrating in deep submission the infirmity of ou● frail natures before the infinite perfection of this sovereign king and essence; as teach very well S. Cyprian and S. 
Cypr. in orat. Dom Chrys. hom. 19 ad pop. Aug in Ps. 4●. Greg ● 1●. ●n job. c. 3. lib. ●3. c. 27. Psa▪ 64. Isa. 55.  Chrysostome. For as fire the more pure and sincere it is from ashes, or other Drossy admittance, heateth in greater fervour, so doth charity devoid of sin and contagion of vice as●●nd by prayer with a more vigorous and violent motion towards almighty God. Moreover this is the counsel of S. Augustine: wilt thou, that thy prayer ●o●●t● up sw●s●●e to almighty God? make then soret two wings, fasting and alms deeds. And then, as from the earth be drawn up certain vapours, the which after above congealed, then resolved, stream and fall in great abundance upon the same, and make it drunk again with fertility, so what we in prayer present to almighty God, will procure the rain of heavenly benedictions for the souls be●efitt, and increase in all virtue. Therefore nature herself, informed the Gentiles, that they were not to pray being rash or in negligence, but rather when their bodies and souls were best advised recollected and sequestered from all other affairs, that with more reverence and 
Plut. in Num. Ci● l. de legibus. Senec. li 1. de Benefic c 17. Clem A●●x. 4. storm. in fine.  affection they might furnish so sacred a duty and function for passage thereof to heaven. On the holiedayes and feasts of the Priests saith Plutarch, the criers go about in circle before, compelling the devoted to surcease and r●st from all vulgar employments. So it is reported that the Pithagor●ans do f●rbide men to adore the Gods passing by, or then to pray unto them, but only to perform such p●●t●e after a s●tt purpose, even after the departure out of their houses. Also Clemens Alexand: a Christian Doctor in the primitive Church reporteth the same Pithagorians to have enacted a law, that none should pray but in certain express terms publicly c●nc●●u●d and decreed, and that with a loud voice: Not that they deemed, as I 
Prayer ●o● re〈…〉 ●● sin●e● & prote●t●ō ag 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Aug 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. ●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 8. & 9 Ma●● 6. Luc 11. Math 7. joan. ●6. Aug. Ep. 105. Ps. ●●9. Ne d●s●r●i eius ad●●●otio, alicui●entatio● vel cons●●●amus decepti, vel ●●damus a●●icti. Aug. ●p. 121. c. ●●. Aug. lib. 2. de serm. Dom. c. 14 Cyp●. in Ora●. Dom. Apoc. 3. Hie●. count. ●o●●n. ●p C●esiph. P●aye● for others. 1. Cor. 12. Mach. hom. 1. Rom. 12. 1. Tim. 2. All virtue referred to p●aye●. F●des credit, spes & Cham 〈…〉 oran●. Sed sine fide esse non possu●●, ac per hoc & fides ora●. Aug. E●●●ir c 7. Euseb. l. 8. vi●. Const. c. 58.  think, God could not hea●e those, which prayed in silence or secrecy, but because they would have men's prayers ●ust, the which none should be ashamed to pronounce before the company Hereupon w●s it said, ●o must we sp●ake to men, a● if the gods heard, and so with the gods, as if men heard.  
2. And as in prayer we are to make petition of God his grace for sundry effects and our indigences, so principally for nothing more, then for remission of our sins, and for delivery from all harm by temptation & ghostly perils, that frequently occur in this mortal life, as we are taught in the prayer of our Saviour▪ Forgive us our trespasses, and lead● us not into temptation. Pra●e● therefore proceeding from faith, from the illumination and incitation of the holy Ghost, hath force in it to move almighty God through Christ his son and our Redeemer, to cancel and forgive us all our sins by justification: P●●●te & accip●●●●s, As●● and you shall receive: whereupon excellently well S. Augustine: Neither is the ●emission of sins without some merit, if faith obtain it: Neither is it to be said that there is no me●●t of faith, by which faith he said, O God be merciful to me a sinner: A●d ●e departed justified by merit, faithful, and humbled. Moreover knowing this grace of justification to be entertained in our souls, as into so many brittle vessels through infinite occasions of sin subject to loss, and wrack thereof, therefore we pray to have our head shielded and shadowed by the holy Ghost against scourse of concupiscence in time of battle and war, from above with the protection of grace from grievous sin, whose malice to be such we believe, as that committed it will bereave the soul of so precious a jewel. We pray then for to obtain munition and strength in the season of temptation, as one according to S. Augustine, The which is to be tried bys●er, doth not pray that the s●●r do not touch him, but that he be not burned in the si●r. So we pray not to be clean ●idd of all temptation, but that against it we be descended by the grace of heaven. Hold that thou hast, sayeth the Evangelist S. john, lest that an other take thy crow●●: Out of which words Saint Hierom refuteth both Pelagius, and ●ouinian: the one denying the necessity of grace, the other affirming, that by no sin justice is subject to forfeiture or miscarriage.  
3. Also when as faith discovereth unto us that all Christians in general are members of one body, forthwith charity is ready to take care of all that be united in this mystical body to our head and sovereign Christ jesus, mourning and weeping with those that are in affliction, and helping all by prayer which stand in need of succours from almighty God. I beseech you saith the Apostle S. Paul, let prayers be made for all men. Neither do we forget our brethren in their painful sufferances and satisfactions enduring God his justice in Purgatory, procuring by our sacrifices and prayers, in what we may, their releese and indulgence from the mercy of God: upon which opinion Canstantine the great, as recordeth Eusebius, took careful order to be ●ntombed in Constantinople near unto the bodies of the holy Apostles, that by the pious concourse of the people thither, and their prayers, he might, departed this life, gain pardon and remission.  
4 I omit here to recount the opinions of certain philosophers, as of the S●oikes, 
Enemies of prayer. Tire maxim. serm. ●0. Castro verb. or●●●o, P●●●. in vit● Epic. Pagans', jews, P●l●gians, a●d Protestants, presume of themselves against the providence of almighty God▪ jews presume upon the letter of the law, Pagans', and Pelag●a●● on natures, forces: Protestants on a de●ised grace. August. Tract ●●●● joan c. 12. de bono visit cap. 17. 18 ut quid pe●o a Domino quod in mea posuit potestate▪ E●i 92. Aug. de heres. 88 Ep 109. de Grat. Christi c. 4 epi. pa●●. ad Innoc ●●. 1. Council l. 2. de pecc. merchant c 5. epi 107. Waldensis. Tom. ● c. 1. Luth. Con●. 4▪ Advent. Prayer for remission of sin against the Protestant. Psal. 67. Mich. 1. ●uc 7. Luc. 1●. Psal. ●0. The backward pra●e● of the Pro●estant.  and Epicures, attributing all events of things either to fortune, or to fatality, and so acknowledged no v●e of prayer or devotion to obtain any effect the which otherwise was not to fall out from God his especial providence. diverse heretics, some directly, others in consequence have opposed their errors to this heavenly duty of prayer and devotion, but above all two; namely Iou●nian; and Pelagius. jovinian held opinion, that the grace of justice once attained could not be after lost by any misdemeanure of man, and so thereby he made void all prayers for grace against temptation, and the manifold hazards of this mortal life; as if the just in this respect had no cause of prayer or supplication to God. Pelagius denying the necessity of grace inward, and super natural concourse of God with man, did likewise tender vain and superstitious all prayer acquiring of almighty God remission of sins, protection from the evil of temptation, or finally for any benefit of God free & gracious, freely inspired, as reporteth S. Augustin. Accordingly the Albigenses, the wiclefi●ns impaired also the use & practise of prayer, deeming that God did not require at our hands the office of prayer and supplication, being content with the extern works of the other virtues. Luther and Caluine upon the conceit they make of their pestilent faith of justification, as they destroy thereby all virtue, so in particular this high and necessary function of prayer. Euer●e heart, sayeth Luther, the which hath this knowledge of himself more perfect; hath a way ●or● red●● and fac●l● unto the ●●rde, although in the mean time he should drink nothing but malmesy, walk upon roses, and never pray one word. Caluine likewise teaching that every just person by a divine faith is to believe, that his sins are remitted, & that he cannot possibly lose his justice, maketh void the use of prayer for remission of sins, or protection against temptation. To pray for the ghostly good of ●h●rs, neither is it by him available, in that none have the grace of justification or operseverance by an others prayers, but only by the faith of their parents, or by God his predestination▪ Lastly abolishing the ecclesiastical tradition both of liturgy, and all so of diurnal and nocturnal prayers, used in the Roman Church, show themselves main adversaries of prayer and devotion, as in the Trial shall appear.  
5. although faith inform us, that innocency and the estate of justice make our prayers more grateful and acceptable unto Almighty God, lest that in his presence, as dreaded the kingly Prophet, offenders ●●ow away from the ●●ce of him, as wax do●th from the fire: nevertheless in the new law for sinners also we know to be appointed a sacrifice and expiation; neither doth our Saviour Christ disdain the approach of a penitent Magdalen, of a leper, or the miserable estate of a prodigal child having wasted his substance for heaven with miscarriage of offence and lavish deportment on earth. For hereupon cried hol●e David: W●●h memore O Lord, from my ●●●quitie, and cleanse me from my sin. And hereby we vndestand, that not only faith is available to the remission of sin, but also prayer, as effect of faith, is to contrive the same. On the contrary side the Protestanter even after great & heinous crimes acknowledgeth no reason or cause of prayer tending to the remission of his sins; in that by his faith, it remaining in the very act of any crime, he believeth no sin to be imputed to him by God, no sin to endamage his soul, no sin to be already vnforgiuen: therefore for one that is faithful, and well intelligent of his own predestination and childeship with God, it is needless, yea ●●pug●ant to his faith, to pray for pardon of his sins. Can any man considerative pray for that, which is now obtained, and certainly by divine faith known to be for the present in possession, and that as surly, as God reigneth in heaven? May any pray with reason for the Incarnation past and believed, for the creation of the world? how then for remission of sin before prayer certainly attained? They answer, that the just and faithful pray for remission of sins, first thereby to confess the same all●ed●● performed to be the merciful gift of God▪ then that they may more and more be confirmed in faith against temptations to the contrary, by a knowledge and inward feeling of spirit. But what a gross abuse it this against the word of God, a violent wresting it from the proper and natural sense? Doth not our 
Luc. 11.  Saviour expressly will us to make this petition, And forgive us our sins? Yet forsooth the meaning must be by his extravagant gloss, to give him thanks for their pardon 
So Pelagius did inter● pre●e S●●ip. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 90. 9●▪ 9●▪ 1●7. Conc. Aur●s. 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 Con●. 〈◊〉 1 T●●. 2. Th● 〈◊〉 is a pelagian heretic.  and remission. O foul devise of Antichrist against piety and devotion! Did not Pelagius himself thus pray, an enemy of Christ, and of his grace, and so understand these two petitions, forgive us our sins, and lead us not into temptation, as spoken in way of humility, and recognizance of God his benefit already bestowed; p●aying for humility sake, not for necessity of a future or farther effect from God, as is reported in the Council Aurosican, by S Augustine, and by the Council Milevitane? It is one thing, as telleth us the Apostle, to give thanks, an other to make entreaty and postulation; & the Protestantish minister turneth with Palagius, all prayer for remission of sins into thanks giving; as if he prayed for the creation of the world, for the passion of Christ. As concerning the other cause of prayer in this affair alleged by the Protestant, it is superfluous, and expressly against the word of God: for the scriptures and fathers tell us, that we must pra● for remission of sins, and the minister advertiseth us, we must not pray for remission of sins, but only for the perfect feeling and touch thereof, and ●or our comfort in assurance of the same. Is this to stick to the word of God, so injuried by the vile impious babbling minister? And of what purpose then is his prayer? For a strong faith. But he knows this faith can not be lost at any time: so 
The Stoics relying on fatality prayed for a fashion: Plutarch De placi● Stoic. so do Protestant's.  than if he suffer a little perpelxitie and anguish of dubitance, why should he be so busy about prayer, seeing that faith, justice, and infallible predestination do not depend on prayer, but only a little needless refreshment, to the end that a minister when he hath played the knave, yet may believe without all doubt that he is a child of the lord and predestinate? A ●●eete piece of prayer! If here he s●ffer his purgatory in some distrust and temptation, and yet be never the worse, faith still remaining with justice, and he always a child of the lord, why should he trouble his brains with idle prayer? Is it not a fine ceremony of prayer, that cometh from a man doubtful in his fa●th and half an infidel, and from one that prayeth for no necessary thing, but for a little sweet meat of consolation, for an apple, or a fig to expuls●● sooles pensiveness? Is there then no more urgent causes of prayer? ●y impious Antichrist.  
6. To the like vanity also doth the Protestanter reduce the other petition of our 
The Protestant doth not pray against temptation▪ no less than Phrygians: Aug. l. de Nat. & G●at. c. ●4. ●8. ●. 〈◊〉 c 13. Protestant's 〈◊〉 plagman heretic's denying necessity o● pr●●er in regard of perseverance in gra●●: Aug. Ep. 107.  Lord's prayer, And lead us not into temptation: for if the Protestant be now assured that by no ensuing temptation he shall loose his justice, or hurt his soul with damage of grace or heavenly 〈…〉sse, to what availeth this petition? He needs no more rain, whose harvest is all ready in the barn; neither the Protestant any more grace from a 'bove, all cocksure at home. What a bestiality is this for a Protestant to deem hilself in this life out of all hazard of temptation, and to doubt of it is infidelity by his account▪ yet he will pray to this effect, that he may not seem altogether irreligious, desiring in his prayer a comfort in his conscience, that as indeed he is free by a present faith from all annoy by temptation, so he may in full assurance and persuasion of the inward man know and feel as much; and be no more vexed with suspicions, with doubts of the contrary▪ Well than prayer, I see, is not of any necessity with the Protestanter, but only an idle banqueting dish for a few confectes of consolation. If he pray not at all, yet in virtue of his faith shall he be sufficiently defended from temptation: yea if only his father was a good Christian, his personal justice i● su●r enough in a castle not to be expugned, by sin or the devil, And let the worst fall that may in want of prayer, he shall 
Non quia ●o● aument ap●●●e d●c●re, ●ed ●orum sententiam velint, nolin● ho● utique s●quitu● Aug. Epist. 144. No cause why a Protestant should pray fo● his brother.  suffer only now and then a little pang of distrust, begin to shake some thing in the sockett; but after it will pass, and his fair faith begin to rise up merrily in the pleasant morning of self persuasion, and then it shall ascertain in a merry mood the crazed conscience of our Protestant, that all is w●ll, that he is just, the child of God, and ever so to remain in that estate. Is not this a pretty plum for a fool, or a delicate sop for a dog, that resolves never to c●●e more for praye●, heaven or religion?  
7. And why should he pray for his brother, or for his congregation? Are the honest men, good Christians, or no? yea forsooth: Than what need of prayer, when as God his predestination dependeth not upon the prayer of any Protestant: for whom sufficiency to salvation is fixed in the faith of their patents, and God his covenant with Abraham▪ Are they perhaps infidels and aliens out of the Church? If so, what can avail for them prayer, yea of the best, being indeed a mortal sin in him that prayeth, as the Protestants grant, and odious to God, needing itself pardon and remission by faith▪ Thus the wicked Antichristian faith in the Protesta●ter destroyeth all occasion of prayer and supplication to almighty God: to th●●●●e of all piety disgorged from out the mouth of Caluine▪ Sanctification in the children of God hath such a root in them, 
Calu. in ca 5. joan. & 13.  that it never can be pulled out●: Let the devil pull and hale with the breach of all the ten commandments, yet justice sticketh fast in the soul of an offender. Good God, if wicked persons need not to pray, what small need have honest men! Well now I see, that it is sufficient for the Protestanters, that they e●●oy Luther's roses and malvesie, and never pray at all. Of which protestantish pride, vanity, and impiety a precedent was given by the Bishops of the Donatists, as reporteth S. Augustin: who avouched themselves so to be so settled in grace & favour of almighty God, that they needed no prayers of the laity. Whom S. Augustin thus worthily derideth: Assuredly ye● are great 
Aug. l ● count. l●● 〈◊〉 c 100L. 〈◊〉 ●ccle●●●●. 16.  men, high, heavenly and divine: and ●n deed now not so much men, as Angels: y●e that pray for the people, but will not that they people pray for you: Do you see how detestable ●s this pride! In like manner protestants challenging to themselves an estate of irremoveable justice, disdain the prayers of others, as available for remission of sin in them, or continuance of god his g●ace. Moreover Protestants do tread the steps of Pelagius, who as noteth S. Augustin, evacuated all the petitions of our lord his prayer, denying the necessity 
Aug de Do●o pursue. c. 4. Ep. 9●. ●05.  of grace. For if the Protestant be now assured that his sins are not imputed, can he pray: Forg●●●e us our transpasses? if he be established in grace unloseable, how can he pray● Halou●d be thy name, thy kingdom ●oom●, lead us not into temptation? he standing in need of no such grace, which all ready is not granted & established. To what 
Aug. Tract. ●●. in joan. c. 12.  purpose sayeth S. Augustin pray w●e not to be overcome by temptation, if ●● be absolutely in our one ability?  
8. But the Catholic Church is wonderfully careful how day and night and continually, 
Prayers of the Catholic Church. 1. Thes 5.  as the Apostle ex●orted, she may employ her children in prayers, in familiar speeches with almighty God. By reason whereof as we make a more evident confession of our own weakness, so likewise by so frequent an appeal to God his high goodness, we much recommend the same We have therefore a liturgical prayer of s●●●ed persons expressed in certain rearmes, comprised in a recorded form; & to use another manner of devotion in public service, than is laid down in some synod or Council, is forbidden by the Mil●●●tan Council, and also the Tolle●an: which publi●e 
〈◊〉 M●l. ●●. 12. Toll. 4. c. ●.  prayer we divide into certain hours, as into the Matins, the ●irst hour, the Third, the Six, the ninth, Evensong, and Compl●ne: as it were in this observation of seven times prayer to imitate holy David, who every day to that number prayed unto almighty 
Psal. 118.  God. And also this set number of religious hours we apply to the signification and commemoration of certain memorable and considerable points of Christ his passion, figuring them lively in our thoughts by this our prouse custom.  

H●● sunt s●pt●nas propter quae p●all●mus horas,  
Mat●t●n●●l●gat Christ●●a, qu●●rimina purgat;  
Pr●ma r●pl●t ●p●●●s, 〈◊〉 ●m d●t Tertia mor●is;  
Sexta cr●●● ne●lit; ●a●us ●●us Nona ●ip●rtit,  
v●●pera d●●on●t: tu●●lo C●●p●●ta r●pon●t.  
For these respe●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 w●sing, as wil●s ●ite:  
The● 〈◊〉 by●des 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ● 〈◊〉 wh● 〈◊〉 by gra●● our sinful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Prim● doth his face with sp●●t desile: the Third or death al●v●●e ●t ●●●ed,  
The 〈◊〉 ●ayles h●● v●to th● tree: the ninth with ●an●e did ●or● his side  
v●spers ●●p●se him f●om the Cross,  
And Compl●ne in grave ●n●om●●●is ●●ars●.   
S. Cyp●ian applieth this manner o● ours to the Precedents of God his Sa●ntes, as of 
C●p●▪ de O●a●. Dom. Act ●. Act 10. Hierom ep. ad 〈◊〉 ad Eust● h. in ●●4 Math. Clem Alex. ●. storm & 7. Chrys hom. ●9. ad pop.  Daniel, who prayed th●●ce a day, of the Apostles, that went in●o the Temple to pray at the ninth hour, of Cornelius, who at the same time had a v●sion from an angel which sp●c●s and tim●s before the worshipper●●f God had determined; and for their prayers observed ap●●nted times Name●●e the prayers and psalms used in the devotions of the ancient clergy in the night time S▪ Hierome recordeth; In the night we must rise tw●●●, or thr●●e▪ And before him Clemens of Alexandria maketh mention of them, who designed for their prayers, certain and ●●●ted hours, as the Third, the sixth, and the ●●the: and of n●ght prayer: Therefore the holy myst●r●●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the night. Also Saint C●rill of H●er●salem: When is the my●de to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pra●●r an● psalms more s●●lie? is it not in the night time? S. Chr●sostome thus rela●e●h the practice of the ancient & hol●e monks: A●ter th● cock ●rowing uncontent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prela●●, and by a stroke of ●● foot● only calleth th●● all ●p: neither is it lawful ●or them to st●●p● 〈◊〉 ●●●●en clotheses▪ Th●n rising they sing prophetical ●ymnes, with ●uc● dec●nta▪ raiment of voi●●● and tune● ap●l●e composed: They celebrated after 
Chrys. hom● 6. de p●n.  the Third, sixth, a●d ●ynthe ●e ●●w●●s, and lastage their ●u●ns●ng. To conclude, as concerning the recital by alternation of voices of the spalmes of David, thus S Chri●ostome: To those that w●●●●e ●● the Church, the ●●●st, midst, and ●nd ●s David To those that ●●se ear●●e to sing hymns, the fir●t, the midst, and the last ●s David: If any pomp be to be ●●ewen in any s●●●ralles, 
Hie●om. epitaph Paul c. 1● Eph●●m. ●●st Greg. Naz. in S. ●●sil. Greg. Niss de ob●tu. Ma●rinoe.  David ●● first, the midst▪ and the last: If r●lig●●us virgins be at wor●e, Dau●●●s the first, the midst, and the l●st. Also ●. H●erom, S Ephrem, make mention of David's psalms sung by verse: likewise S. Gregory Naz●●nzene, S Gregory Nissen. To which piety expres●●●e the Protesta●te●s profess and protest themselves v●ter enemies, deeming the sacred tradition of the Church i● this point altogether superstitious. Protestants rise in the ●●ght to pray! Protestants observe such distinct hours of prayer! Only saith, onel●e faith makes to them day and night all one for impiety, and all licentious liberty Hear might be added the ceremonies of the Catholic liturgy, the majesty of Churches in their furniture, the presence of the dreadful hos● upon the Altar for sacrament and sacrifice, wonder ●ull●e inclining all to prayer and devotion, ●mpa●red▪ denied, and abolished by the Protestan●●●● faith of a quick d●spatch in justification: But of this in the matter of religion occasion will offer itself more convenient▪ The protestant therefore hoping for beatitude without prayer, doth presumptuously endeavour to s●ie without wings of grace. But especially according to the doctrine of the Protestant, no person through greivouse offences o●te of God his saver, and estate of justification, aught to pray: for by his opinion, as all works of they virtues be mortal sins in the very regenerate, so is also prayer, and therefore in such as be not regenerate, it is not only a sin, but also imputed to them as sin, where justice is wanting to excuse it: and so remaineth damnable.   

Catholic Hope willingly undergoeth the works of mortification; whereas the Protestantish faith of justification abhorreth and takes utterly void so necessary and holy a practice and institution for virtue and goodness.  
CHAPER. XVI.  
THERE be two things of especial recommendation in the Christian doctrine; 
Mortification necessary.  The one concerneth a perfect acknowledgement of the infirmity and maladies accompanying man his nature, The other a trust and hope in the mercies of God through our Saviour jesus, and a firm ●●pect●● on of help and succours from thence. Yet not with standing we are not so to 〈◊〉 ●n ●he benefi●t o● Ch●●st and of his grace, as if to the recurring of our disease's, to the co●●●ct●●n of our ●u●ll inclinations, we were not to move at all, or work, but amongst o●her holy ●nd●uors ●f virtue, and cooperation with grace, we are to ha●e a principal care, tha●●● by mortification restrain, and by rigour of discipline, seek to la●●ur against the stream o● our own concupiscences, and so thereby weakening them, and chastising them by some severe afloat, the reasonable par● of the soul may be more ●●rong and resolute ●n the pursuit of honest▪ ●ctions, and effectual procurement of the honour of Almighty God: Mortify your 
Colos. ●.  membres, saith the Apostle, that are upon the ●arth: If you mortify the d●●des of the flesh you shall 〈◊〉. This practice of mortification ishueth orig●na●l●e from the soul cu●b●ng and 
Rom 6.  restraining the inward affections thereof▪ and from thence proceedeth to the sharp discipline of the sense & body: which seemeth unto me, as by a picture, signified by the 
Matth. 20. Mar●. ●●. Inward mortification.  cup of our Saviour, proposed to the children of zeb●deus: not only representing their martyrdoms, but all ●o the interior mortifications of their inward dispositions: as of their judgements, of their free-will, of their inclinations in their appetite sensitive through love, hatred, presumption, and fear. ●or to omit sundry similitudes taken from the cup in this behalf, in this most apteli● the doctrine of mortification is declared, that as the liquor drunk out of the cup passeth in to the body and secret paytes thereof, so ought mortification not only to fall upon the exterior shape of a man, but it is to be taken in, that is, it is to be applied to the repression of nature's insolences in h●● most retired and concealed passions and humours. By the drink of which cup promise was made to the Apostles, and in them to us all, that in virtue thereof they were to be kings and princes dom●●●●ng over their affections, as lords of the beasts of the field, of the fishes of the waters, & birds of the air: as interpreteth 
Men made Prin●● by Mortification.  that place of Genesis morally S Basil: and sin●l●●e as ●rewp●●lates and Rulers to sit on the right hand of Christ, and on his left in the kingdom of his church. neither by prosperity or adversity to be removed from their decreed purpose of 
Basil Hom. 11.  virtue and go●d life  

R●x est qu● posuit m●tus & d●●a p●ctoris mala  
He is a king, that s●a●nes to fear and dr●ade, 
Ho●at. se●m.   
who passions force in breast do●en doth ●●●ad▪   
But let us come to the particular practices of this mortification. 
Mortification of a ●ol●●a●●e ●●fe.   
2 First then, as we see in brute beasts, their natural concupiscences and fierceness of them to be calmed, and as it were hushed asleep, when from their fantasies are sequestered the objects and allurements of their delights, so if man withdraw his conversation from th● occasions of forbidden pleasures, as from the matter of ambition, of carnality, his sensuality, although otherwise unquiet and distempered, w●ll yet be more mild, and lurk as it were in her den with the lioness in a slumber, having forgotten her prey or contentment. 
Cl●●d●an.   

Suad●●que licentia luxum.  
Occasion caused by licen●● large,  
For pleasures force doth give the charge.   
In this respect the auncie●t ●●thers, men now of so rare memory, and then of so great 
S. Aug. lib. de Mo●●●. Eccl. Ca●●● c 31. ●●●● describeth ●●e ●o●●s of Mon●kes and Nuns': and all so of others in the clergy, as ●on▪ ce●n●ng their chast●●●e, fasting, & obedience. ep. 86. Can. 4. 3. Reg. ●8. Luc. 1. Luc. 5. Greg. Naz. orat. 27. Orat. 16. Basil. de vita so●●●.  desert, did retire themselves from popularity, from the advancements of this world, as a means to cu●●e and over m●●ster concupiscence, otherwise potent, turbulent and outrageous, both in respect of the understanding, as also of the will and affection; as S. Chrysostome, S. Ba●●ll, S Gregory Nazianzene, S. Hierome, monks & devout worshippers of God, also exemplar reformers of nature; who fired with zeal for the conquest over concupiscence, departed the Cities, to receive with Moses in the des●●t the law of the Gospel, that is perfect charity. L●t v●go into the s●ld and make our abode in the villages Having therefore such precedents, as also from H●lias living in the mountain of Carvels, from the Rechabits inhabiting in solitude the banks of ●ordan, f●om S▪ john the Baptist, yea from our Saviour Christ an inhabitant also of the wilderness, and at the time of prayer generall●e withdrawing his person, we are to hearken to the counsel of S. Gregory Naz●anzene: we must procure our rest, that with a mind not troubled we may converse with almighty God: Again Solitude is a goodly thing, which I am taught to think by the Carm●l●●an● mountain of Helias, by the desert of S. john, and by that ●●●, unto the which jesus did departed so often, and remained there with a que●t and recollected ●●●de. Yea the Apostles, following Christ our Saviour, abandoned what worldly comedies they had, to enfeoble in themselves concupiscence. what advantage made S. Basill of his retired and mortified life, thus he reporteth. I departed into the mountains as a l●●le sparrow: thereby as a sparrow am I delivered from the snares of the fowlers▪ I remain in that solitude. O malicious cogitation, in the which our Lord did ab●●e. Hear is the o●● 
Psal. 123. Math 4. Gen. 18. Gen ●8. Levit. 16.  tree of Mambre, here is the ladder reaching to heaven, and an host of angels scene by jacob. Hear is that wilderness, in the which the people of God was purified, and received his la, and so brought into the land of promise did behold God: Hear is the mountain of Carmell, in ●hich living Helias did please almighty God, Heere●s the field, into the which Esdrass descending by the commandment of God, brought forth all the divine books Hear is the wilderness, in the which blessed Ioh● did ●at● of the locusts▪ and preached penance unto men. Hear is mount Ol●uett, to the 
3. Reg. 1●. 1. Esd. 7.  which departed our Saviour to pray, and taught us to pray. Hear is Christ a lover of solitude, for he saith where two or three are assembled in my name, I am in the midst of them. Hear is the 
Math 3. Math. 18. Heb. 11.  strait and narrow way lea●●ng unto l●●e. Hear be doctors and Prophets wandering in wildernesses, ●n mountains, ●nd 〈◊〉 of the ●arth. Hear are the Apostles and the Evangelists, and the solitaire lyu●● of m●n●●s. Th● proportion and measure of this ret●aicte and mortification is to be taken according to every one's vocation and quality of affairs belonging unto him: so that although all be not to imitate the monk or the eremite, or the high perfection of this mortification by departure from out the world, yet all are in general to withdraw themselves from hazard of sin, where is probable danger thereof in any conversation. And a● s●a and land serve m●● diversely for their uses, so the private and p●●l●ke life are to be mixed and tempered for the more good of every particular person; but especially for the community, for whose sake the monk and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●● charity are to quit and leave sometimes their closerts and cells, to preach, 
Greg. Naz. orat. 20.  teach and converse among others, as well notet● S. Gregory Nazian. Besides this sacred reason of mortification by a retired life, and by the alteration and succession upon good occasions of both the lives contemplative, and practical, Seneca yieldeth an other commodity of it civil and politic. Conversation ablute different affairs, not well 
Senec. l. de Tranquil. cap. 54.  appointed, doth both trouble, and all orcnew affections, and maketh sore again what in man's mynde●s weak, and not well cured. yet notwithstanding solitude and the active life are to be mixed & mutually exchanged▪ Solitude will make us to desire the company of men, active life 'cause us to desire ourselves: and so one wil● be the remedy of the other. Especially we Christians are to imitate the Elephants in chase & d●nger, who knowing themselves pursued for their ivory tusks, in the course dash and break them in pieces, as recordeth Sol●●us, to 
Solin. ●de si●u. orb●●.  the end the hunters may surcease from their game: so we are to mortify such splendour or graces of our bodies and souls, as in us the world desireth for it service against almighty God.  
3 To mortification also appertaineth a more hard entreaty and handling of our bodies, to extinguish or mitigate the heat of concupiscences humour therein, to 
A life penitential.  make it saint and tractable by reason and virtue: For it is Satan, as noteth Saint Ephrem, which seeketh, according to our Saviour his testimony, after mo●ste places 
Ephrem. l. de Poen. Math▪ 12.  for his seat and empire: that is for such bodies, as flow again in 〈◊〉 of diett, and surplusage of pampering delights.  

Tunc vivere caste  
Asperius, cum prompta venus. Tunc durius irae 
Claud●●n. in Honour. vers. 260.   
C●●●ul●mus▪ cum pana pat●●.  
Mo●e hard it is then to be chaste,  
W●●n v●nus hath her offerings cast;  
So from anger then to refrain,  
When power affords desired pain.   
We must always repute there to be Troy, where is found Helena, that is a l●fe 
Sense. Agam.  continually subject to flames and destruction, where pleasure bears the rule: whereupon speaketh the Apostle S. Paul I chastise my body, and bring it into servitude, lest 
1. Cor. 4. Basil. l. de Virg.  that when I have preached to others, I my ●elf become a reprobate. No man can be ignorant what force the body hath upon the soul, when it commandeth unbridled, whose motions, as telleth us S. Basill, arrive even to the secrecy of the mind, as a stone, sayeth 
Itaque non rei●●iendis generibus cibo●um quasi po●lu●i●, sed concupiscentiae p●rdomandae, & dilectio●●●a●rum ●●linendae 〈◊〉 omn●s iudustria. Aug de Mor. Eccles. l 1▪ c 3● & l. 2 c 1● Epist 86. Ca●●●od lib ●●ap. 49.  he, cast into the water, doth not only move those pa●ts, which it substantially toucheth, but also far of by certain orbs ●nd circles, that thereon ensue. Therefore we must be provident in soul, in spirit, and in reason against this jeopardy, and by mortification ●uffer not the bod●e to be superior. If nature hath instructed diverse creatures, devoid of ●eason, to help themselves against perils and dangers, and their own infirmities, how much more are we, knowing the incommodies of a corporal liberty, to repress the rage and fu●●e thereof? what in this kind is practised by fowls, fishes and beasts, is thus b● C●ssio●orus recorded from the mouth and pen of king Theodo●icus. Certain b●●d conversing with 〈◊〉 foreseeing natura●●●● temp●st● to come▪ 〈…〉 the deep and retire themselves to sh●re. The dolphin's ●●aring the tempest● of th●●●a m●ke stay about the rocks ●n shallow places. Fishes called 〈◊〉, as 〈◊〉 honycomb●s, or bonnette tenderness, purple delights, the riches of the sea, whilst they know of temp●sts to come, desiring to change places to balance their lightness, ta●e what stones they can hold, ● as ●t were thereby anchored swymm to the ro●●es. ●oul●s do change ●ontr●●●▪ when winter approacheth. Wild beast's for the 〈◊〉 of the times take order for their 〈◊〉: And ●hould not men be more careful to furnish themselves with such things, as they may after desire? But how much the more impo●tan●●●e a●e we in this kind to be vigilant, in that the pleasures of ●he body, and ●ol●●●e thereof tend to the eternal hurt of the body and soul in man! What by the example of Christ S. Chrysostome exhorteth us unto is worthy the noting: Christ as man 
Chrys. hom. 22. ad pop. Psal. 4.  hath humbled himself, he hath redeemed thee with his precious blood, that ●eedeth all fle●h; he that hath crowned the heavens with star●es, hath been crowned with thorns, obedient even unto death: wherefore it is convenient for the in this life not to be jocund, but to lament, and 
S. Aug. l. 2. de M●r▪ Eccles c. 13 distingui●heth our ●ast● from that of M●nic●aus Greg. hom. 16. in 〈◊〉 A●●. 10▪ add V●●●. 〈◊〉. c ●. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉tion. A●●▪ ●● 〈◊〉ed the obs●ruation o●●ast●ng d●ye●e Aug ●● Haeres. 〈◊〉 t●e P●●▪ ●●●stes ●nd Ma●●●h●●s fasting upon sundays. Aug. ●pist. 86.  to believe him, that speaks: you that say in your hearts, and are compuncted in your beds, meditating by night upon that we have done with ●obs and sig●●s: wherefore mort●fie thy body, that thou ma●●st praise God in the timbrel and in the choir. A principal exercise we take to be fasting, serving to mortification, that is a sacrifice or decimation of the body itself, as speaketh S. Gregory of the lent: thereby not only practising the virtue of temperance, but also satisfying for temporal pa●●es due to sins remitted: almighty God will spar● us, sayeth S Ambrose. if w●●●a●e not ourselves.  
4. The main soul and substance of the Protestantish religion is wholly against the doctrine of mortification: For if all be just by the justice of Christ, and by no other work, yea if men are to to abandon ●●●st in their own works, of what purpose or commodity is mortification? In the act of any sin one may by faith believe Christ his justice imputed unto him, that God is his God, and Christ his Christ, therefore he may perform the same all●o when concupiscence is neue● so strongly pampered, and most importunate in commaund●●e▪ who will say, that one with a ●att belly can not as well believe the gospel, as an ●ther of a lea●●, or one inflamed in hot blood, as surely as an other in cold? For there is no opposition betwixt concupiscence, business of the flesh, & faithin Christ, the one placed ●n the body, the other in the soul. Ne●●her doth the jollity of the flesh incite always to ●●●re●ul●t●e, to distrust the promises of God, but rather to fornication, to 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 and such l●ke: so than fa●●h is ●n security freed from all impediments, whilst delights are purchased & pursued for the body: and even then the As●e of Apuli●s grazeth on no other past than vp●n r●s●s. It is not mortification, say they, or works of penance that justify, that maynta●ne justice in any: not, only the work of faith, that standeth for all in Christ jesus; whilst the Romans vainly take hold of austerity, of sharp discipline, thinking by their ●orks of hair● cloth to procure or preserve justification, and thereby salvation. Not, all is in the Lord: believe and then thou hast all, and whilst thou believest, no work of thine, nor of the devil, can ●ndamage thy soul. Is mortification expedient at the least to avoid mortal sin? Nothing less: seeing that it is impossible for the justest man to be without mortal sin, yea without the manifold breaches of all the ●●nne commandments. what needeth then this co●osiue of works? believe and thou art mortified enough. Examine we now the particular differences by the rule of Hope.  
5. Although it be a bitter thing and distasteful to wean our senses by solitude and 
Solitude serveth. for Cha●ity against the Protest●●.  retreat from the desired allurements of their objects, of their best and dearest ●oves, yet who seethe it not to be a thing available to virtue, and especially to the love of almighty God and heavenly things? For seeing that the will cannot be utterly severed from all love, if it be deprived of the sight of worldly contentments, it must thereafter more suetely, entirely, and earnestly morate up to the author of love by an unfeigned & ha●tie charity. To which perfection in excellency arrive with 
Hierom. ●d Paul●n▪ O● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●● served by monks S. Aug. makes mention lib de Mor Eccles. c 3. Epist. 86.  us in the Catholic Church such as lead a religious & cloister life, wholly devoted to God, & by angelical motion every part in them mo●●th together abstracted from the world: whose princes were, as speaketh S. Hierome, Elias, H●l●z●●s, and th●●r g●●d●s or capta●nes the children of the prophets, that dw●ll● in the fields, and in solitude. But when I speak of a monk, of a religious person, I entreat of the ver●● ha●●ed of Antichrist in the Protestanter, whose justifying faith doth persecute such men ●uen to flames, ashes, and destruction. And who is a principal agent of theirs in this mighty spite against a retired life? Is not in the east that ignoble Emperor Copronimus, surnamed Caballinus, 
Copronimus an enemy of religious men.  Stercorarius, half a jew, denying with his blasphemy the divinity of our Saviour Christ, as writeth Theophanes, thus blaspheming: Marie brought him forth, ●uen as Marie my mother brought forth me●▪ and finally justly condemned to hell fire by his own confession upon his death bed for doshonoring the virgin Marie, as is reported by C●●renus? 
C●d●n. in Co▪ pronimo.  do not Luther and Caluine in the violent fury of their justifying faith teach consecrated persons to religion to forsake their cloistures▪ to defrocke themselves, to launch out into the deep of the world, and b●dding adieu to all virtue, to stick solely unto a pleasant faith in Christ? These just dance after the pipe of Copronimus, thus proclayning by his officer; He that will obey the Emperor and us, forthwith let him put on a white garment, and ●uen within this how●● take a w●●●. Asp●●die dispatch of only faith, if not a dangerous resolution of only f●llie. An English Puritan, that is a lose 
Abbot Resp. ad 6 Ravon.  Carnali●n, thus tuneth his pipe in the kitchen of An●ichrist, telling that many in ancient times betook themselves to solitude, falsely thinking thereby to attain greater sanctity of life, as amongst the jews did the Ess●●. Truly if only faith justify, I see no reason why any man should be melancholy, or afflict himself in the wilderness, when in any place of joy, honour, and solace, a man may believe that Christ is his Christ, and God his God, which is enough for a holy Pro●estant. But what a bestiality is this! doth no● solitude withdraw men's affections and desires from worldly delights! doth it not thereby increase in them a greater love towards almighty God, procure a purer avoidance of sin, and a more busied employment in virtue? And from all this good Sir, is there no sanctity? Are they only thorns of affliction without all flowers of commodity? where is sanctity, if not in charity, in innocency, in virtue? If not here, than no where; or is it in the persuasion of only faith for a Puritanical liberty? It is enough, will he say, that what I do in court or conversation, is not imputed unto me; that by my apprehending faith, God is my God, and Christ is my Christ; what needs any more? Than I see that there is no difference betwixt the Theology of a minister, and a largesse of the goldefynder; and so a minister may with the substantial meat of Christ his justice, use what sau●● his masterships sense best liketh. But I leave him to his draff in the f●yued golden vessel of only faith, the very brokreiss indeed and bawd for all turpitude. Was not S. Hierom of an other strain and key in his spiritual doctrine? O d●se●t ad●●●●d with the flowers of Christ? O solitude, in the 
Hieron. ep. ad H●liodo●. Apoc. 20. Mortification of the senses against the Protestant.  whi●h those stones do grow, of which is said ●● the Apocalypse, that the C●t●●e of God is builded of them! O life eremitical more samiliarlie 〈◊〉 God  
6. And as the precious and rich treasu●● is more carefully fenced and protected against thieves and robbers, so our justice, being that inestimable pearl worthy of heaven, is preserved from loss by us Catholics through th● wo●kes of mortification: we keep our bodies by rigour of discipline from the assault of flattering pleasure; we rebate in them force of unlawful desires by hard entreaty: that as a polished glass affording no footing to the fly giveth unto it a speedy fall, so we may reject the illusions of fond delights, nothing found for them in us to fasten hold. In which respect the Protestanter by the Cross of Christ breaketh and debaseth the same Cross: for supposing that through the Cross of Christ his justice is eternal, and out of all peril to be lost, he maketh no use of the Cross for mortification, for any voluntary subduing by penalty concupiscences: as if the Cross were for him a tree, that only did sweatt balm for his pleasure, and never administered him gall or mire for his affliction. If justice can not be expelled by any sin, why should mortification enter into desire or practise? So long as a man can believe Christ's justice to be his, so long needeth he no mortification more than of the understanding by faith, why should he dream then of chasticing his body, seeing that in faith is all sanctity & security? It is no marvel, if he repute fasting only the emptiness of the belly, corporal molestation, a needless superstition, if faith justify▪ and if justice can not decay a spare and lean carcase, 
Ab●a●s answer to the epistle dedicatory.  naught else but the image of deep hypocrisy. These these be they unto whose fingers of works sticketh the serpent of a flowthfull faith, & who fly from God and his Church in the winter of a dead charity, and in the Saboth of a loitering liberty. Solinus reporteth, Lucius Plocius proscribed and pursued to death by the magistrates of Rome, ●urking in a certain ca●●, to have bewrayed himself to ●he searchers by the smell and 
Act ●8 Math. 24.  sent of sweet powders and spices he used about him for delicacy; even so the Protestant by favour bestowed upon his own concupiscence, and flattering of himself for pleasure, still discovereth of what sect he is, and how wholly devoted to pleasure, to 
〈◊〉 d● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ●●.  the very 〈◊〉 and fall of virtue. He will repute the observed and de●●e●d fasts of the Church as sup●r●itious, and thereupon in sequel of effect he will not fast at all. And why should he fast, s● thence that his faith ●an lay as sure, and as ●●rong hold on the justice of Christ feasting, whether the belly be full, or empty, so he be not drunk or asleep? But doubtless as pleasure & dissolution hath wr●ught the ruin of many nations, so will it finally deal with the Protestanters, who against all virtue, against good manners, and civil policy abolish mortification of the bod●e and s●●le, refuse severe discipline, reposing the whole somme of their estates in a wanton faith apprehending the promises, whilst in contempt of virtue, & good works their senses wallow in disport, and their har●s are a fire again with concupiscence. Su●rl●e the Protestantish doctrine of a justifying faith, as it ●s against mortification, so is it in full sail of opposition to Christianity; whose profession especially is verified and enured in the contempt of 
Plut▪ in Pi●●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  pleasure, and practised in a severe rigour of a life ruled and restrained by bitterness. A pate●n● whereof we behold in Chr●st himself, the Prince of Saints, and in all his perfect follower's and disciples. Nothing so Christian as chastisement of ourselves, as salt of penalty against the putrefaction of pleasure: & if we 〈◊〉 with Christ by compassion and 
2. Cor. 1. Rom 6. Colos. 2. Rom. 12.  mortification, we shall reign & joy with him eternally. They conditions are taxed and laid down by the Apostle, to wit compassion, putting of, and crucifying of the old man, burying of a sensual life, ●yding our actions with Christ from the glory of the world. It remaineth than we accept of them, hoping by them to attain to the chiefest point of beatitude, and joy we aim at, and wish for. We must be living ●●sts and 
The adam●●● o● Prot●stanci●.  sacrifices, that is having our bodies by charity in a certain sort spiritually slain, consumed and offered wholly up to the service of God. And to this office of charity only availeth the Catholic faith and hope, whereas the delicacy and wantonness of a justifying faith avouched by the Protestanter, tendeth altogether to abolish the same, and to bring in bombase from Cyprus, with ●iuet● from Gr●●●●, to please the senses of our corruptible carcases, and itching humours of our carnal desires.  
7. This brutish doctrine of the Protestant, opposed to catholic mortification, beareth 
The Protestantish refusal of mortification is ba●●●●ou●e. Sen●●. Epi. 51.  all so a strong hand for the bringing in of barbarism into a commonweal●he. For as sequestration of life from the vulgarity, moderation of diet, and refusal of lustefull pleasures, purify the understanding, sharpen it for the better attaining of knowledge, harden and fortify the body to endure martial adventures, and with agility to undergo all virtuous endeavours: so to much popularity, excess of mea●e and drink, slothful repose, maintained by the Protestant doth dull man his intelligence, effeminate his proves, waste the fruits and increase in any country: whereby hath ●sh●w barbarity, as a necessary effect of such la●ish and sensual depo●●ement. Neither is it sufficient for the avoidance of these in commodities, if a Protestant Prince enact many severe laws for the observance of temperance, of continence, when as the common faith of the people taketh from all such mortifications the gust of virtue and spiritual avail thereby, as is evident that the protestantishe doth:▪ for as their obedience in this kind well be violent, and contrary to their natures, so together with hate of the law well be coupled often breach thereof, and contempt, were danger of penalty may be avoided: and so in deed pleasure, by the Protestant prevailing against mortification, by stupidity, by ignorance, and effeminacy, will induce barbarity finally with the overthroe of all civility.   

The christian catholic hope hath confidence and repose in the goodness of almighty God, accounting him an hater of sin, and in no ways worker of it in man: whereas the hope protestantish regarding this sacred and just providence, attributeth to God, as author, cause, and effectour all iniquity contrived by the malice of man or sathan.  
CHAPTER. XVII.  
IN that almighty God by the light of nature, imprinted in our souls through his gift of creation, as also in his sacred word dissuadeth us generally from committing 
God no auctor of sin.  sin: and to that effect proposeth to our considerations the terrible spectacles of his most severe justice oftentimes chastising the same with revenge: also sithence through our saviour Christ here fornisheth us in this frailty of ours with competent grace against the power of sin; there upon we gather most manifestly, that his divine hand, and providence is in no sort cause or actor of ingenuity, but only the free election of man, culpably preferring unlawful pleasures before his most right and best beseeming commandments. Which thing as it is universally true in respect of all offences, so is it in particular especially nototius in that grand and capital 
Adam's sin not of God.  crime and trasgression of our first parents, it being of such a grievous and malignant moment and nature, as not only it despoiled their proper persons of that rare jewel of original justice, but also disrobed all mankind of the same ornament, and engolfed it in this main ocean of calam ties, wherewith we for the present feel ourselves perpleved, molested, and overwhelmed. For although that fair and amiable hue in the forbidden fruit, the sugared speeches of ●ua to Adam, and those sl●ght collusions of the wily serpent under pretence of honour and liberty, were like unto drawing adamantes, and very forcible motions, to seduce their affections from their loyalty to God, and respect to virtue, yet by the express precept of God was forbidden them that unlawful 
Gen 2. ●u●her l ●. in Gen c. 1●. God did foresee Adam his sin, not decreed it. Aug Epist. 〈◊〉 lib. 1. de ●rat Christi cap. 19 Ambr. l. de paradiso. c. 8.  taste under pain of death, that is as well mortality of the body, as deprivation of a gracious life in the soul; they were also protected by that complete harness and munition of original justice, created in freedom of will, and potency to persist in good; therefore their fault appertained only to the transgression of their own will les, and in no sort to the providence and decree of almighty God. Truth it is, that God in his eternal oversight of all things, did evidently know, that our first parents would traverse and infringe the bond of his injunction; nevertheless to their offence he concurred not as caus●, author, or effector: for as sayeth S. Augustine God doth sortell the fins of men, the which also he● of 〈◊〉 to ●orekno●●, and y●t not to produce them. Excellently well S. Ambrose speaking of the fall of Adam, and of the  treachery of judas, thus writeth: Neither d● 〈◊〉 ●●y that God did not ●now the prcuarication to came; yea I affirm he knew it; nevertheless to him could not be derived the faul●e of the per●●●●ng traytore: or that it may be imputed to God, that either of them cell by sin. Than he yieldeth the reason, why their miscariadges could not be ascribed to the providence of God; in that both of them trespassed by act of free will, and not of any necessity imposed upon them by God or nature: For God did not so press by necessity, that either Adam should prevaricate, or judas play the traitor; because both of them if they had kept that, which was bequeathed them, they might have abstained from sin. So then S. Ambrose teacheth, that the reason why sin is not caused by God, lieth grounded ●n man his free will, and that without such freedom he insinuateth either sin should be no sin, or God author of the same Sin should not be committed sayeth justin Martyr, if by impotencic 
Just in mart. tomspon. ad quest. 13.  of nature, and not rather perversity of free will, mortal me● did offend. Hereupon the Catholic hope lifteth up the soul in confidence to obtain a great benefi●t of a gracious gift by the goodness of God, and mer●t● of our Saviour, to wit: Redemption, prop●ciation, and expiation from all grievous sins and crimes, from an estate of damnation, that is from sin derived unto us all by that great fall and error of our first parents. which degree and heinous wa●ght of offence should be clean taken away without the merits of Christ, if they had sinned by necessity, and not of frank and free election, if God had ordained and decreed their sin, and not only the proper per●ersitie in their free w●lles had performed it. How odious then and damnable are the Protestantets, auo●. hang, Adam to have trespassed b●●ng enclosed with imposibilitie of the contrary: to have offended by the very decree and appointance of almighty 
Calu. opuse. Geneu. Beza. respon. ad Castal. Wirtak l 2 de peccat orig. Cap. 3.  God; to have been viged to that greivouse evil by po●●e of nature not resistable, to have offended by a will before consent bound by a fatality, and so depressed into sin, as Caluin and Beza do affirm▪ One of their suit giveth an instance thereof in the devils, that sin of necessity, as he speaketh, and yet sin, liberr●me most freely. Here these fellows with Mahomet make God the author of Ad●m his sin, and principal agent ●here●n; for as we learn by the Fathers, the only way to divert our judgements from God as author of sin, is to suppose sin an effect of free-will in man and Angel; so than ●●●dam had offended not by his free-will, but of necessity, God had been the cause and author of his miscarriage and trespass. And where O Christ, is then thy redemption by this calculation of the Protestanta●s: for if Adam offended through necess●tie, what need was there that thy blood, so preciove, should have been shed for exp●●●ion thereof sithence that Adam was otherwise faultless, he offending by excusable 〈◊〉 by the law, decree, and concourse of thy heavenly father? well he might be ch●●t bly p●t●ed, but I s●e not how justly condemned, or mercifully redeemed O the foul ma●h nation of Antichrist against thy cross! Do the Protestants know as much, en plo●●g themselves to that effect in his service? If they do, hateful then & sacrilegious is their name; if not their pride is contemptible, yet to be lamented Surely the●r 〈◊〉 gno●ance is the more reprovable, in that it contradicteth itself, and ru●net● out by p●●cemeales in a muti●●e and contrariety. They are accustoned to a●●i●●●e, h●● the l●sse of free-will in man proceeded from a precedent sin, whose penalty it ●s, 〈◊〉 ●●●cted upon him by the justice of God: yet affirming A●am to have off●●de● not by free-will, but of necessity, be●o●e any such offence they make h●m volde of free will; in that this will of his was by a ncessarie determination from God and nature applied and carved to si●ne: sin being the effect of a will first pressed and 〈◊〉 by necessity and not of a faculty potent and able ●o comm●tt●t ●●●o. Did then Adam suffer the loss of free-will given him by nature and grace, having not as yet d●me●●ed such a defect, or ●endered himsel●● by any fault punishable? What maketh th● Protestants of the justice of God Take from Adam once freedom of will in his trespass, what must be reckoned as 'cause of his crime, but nature? and what is his crime but nature? and who is cause of nature and worketh jointly with 
Manichey did affirm substance & nature to be sin: as the Protestant doth. Aug. li. 2 de Mor. Eccles c. 2.  the same, but God? then shall God in the blasphemy Protestantish be cause and author of Adam his sin. And if the Protestanter yield no place to sufficient grace, as hath been rehearsed he doth not where the effect of virtue and good consent is wanting, then seeing that Adam had not effectual grace to obey the commandment of God, he offending against the same, was utterly void of all grace to withstand the temptation, and so yielded thereunto by force of necessity: whereupon not having free-will, he might for his excuse impeach God as author of his offence.  
2. Now as touching the particular sins and trespasses of mortal men, the Catholic 
God no cause of any actual sin in man.  hope so conceiveth of the merciful providence of almighty God, as that it reputeth it in no sort cause or efficient of any crime or transgression. Which verity is evidently deduced from those dehortatorie speeches of almighty God in holy writ, which deter us from sin, and counsa●le the contrary virtue; and also declaring that great hatred and detestation he hath of sin. Thou hast destroyed all that fornicate from 
Psal 72. Ezech. 18.  three; the which words could not be consequent from reason, if God in men did work their offences, and according unto a platform of a perfect rule in the idea of his own understanding, drew fourth that monstrous shape notorious in sin. It is not lawful faith S. Gregory Nissen to ascribe unto God si 〈◊〉 actions. Even as to the prevaricating 
Greg. Nissen. l 3 Phil. ca 21. Aug. li. de arb. c. 6.  Angels God did not impress that will, whereby they stood not in truth, neither hath he inspired unto men that affection, whereby they imitate the devil. To the end therefore we may distinctly lay down the Catholic doctrine in this point, it is first to be understood, that the cause or author of sin may be conceived as of two sorts or kinds, the one is physical the other moral. The physical cause is implied only in that faculty of the ●oule, 
Two manners of causing sin.  the which committeth in action the sin in substance of vital work, as the will of him that offendeth: the cause moral designeth that motive or inducement, which persuadeth sin, as when the devil by suggestion, or men by words and scandalous deeds, give occasion to any to offend, and so concur there unto: in no which manners of cause is contained the Sacred providence or decree of Almighty God, administering the affairs of sinners. Not moral cause is God of sin, because although he permit the 
God is not moral cause of sin Aug lib 2. de peccat merit. c. 19 Epi 120. Praedic●● ergo & peccata hominum, quae pote●it praescire, non fa●ere.  devil to engender in the mind of man any cogitation inciting to evil, yea or effect it himself, yet doth he not perform it in affection and desire that man commit the fact of sin, as if this sin were the end of his divine providence foreminded, and intended by the same: yea rather he informeth the understanding by grace of illumination and vocation to the contrary, and that with an affection, that man thereby avoid sin: sometimes by reason, contemplating the beauty of virtue, the deformity of vice; art other seasons by threats and minacies terrifying from sin: and in this respect although sin do ensue of the suggestion by sa●han, yet is not God author or mortal cause of sin. In which sense S. james sayeth that God is not a Tempter of cuilles, nor tempteth any, because man consenting to temptation doth it against the will and pleasure of God, that hateth sin, and of himself would that man sinned not.  
3. As for the cause physical and real of sin, neither is he accessory unto the same, 
God is not the Physical cause of sin Peccat● quidem non per ipsam factum est. Aug tract. 1. in joan c 1. Nisse● Cath. maior. c 7. Plut. l. defa●o.  although producing with the will of man the very substance and quality of that act, which is sinful. The reason whereof excellently well the fathers have rendered from the manner of working proper to man offending: that is from his free-will in not sinning of necessity ordained by God and nature, but of a liberty, as being able by grace not to offend. whereupon the stoics that maintained a faralitie from the influence of the stars into men's souls, affirmed those stars to be causes and authors of sins, as reporteth Plutarch, Sophocles, and Pierius. So also Epiphanius affirmeth, that if man ttepassed by a fatal necessity from the stars. The stars themselves wered sp●●●ally to be punished, that cause necessity of sin And if God himself be cause that man sinneth 
Sopho●. O●d. Pi●●ius verb. stella. Epip●. l. count. haerel. Tom. 1. Euseh. l. 5. pcaepar. c 2. Aug. lib. 2. de ●●●es free-will in manthe cause why God is not auctor of sin Aug. Retract. l. 1. c. 7. Euseb. l. 6. praepar c. 5. orig apud eum dem. cap. 9 Clem. Alex. 1. storm. Aug. ●3. quest. q. 4. 21. Re●●. l. 1 c. 26. Aug. 12. Ciu. c. 7. Tract. 1. i● joan. c. 1. Hate of sin. Sinful desert not caused by God, because it is rather nothing then any real thing. Aug. li. 1. count. julian. c. 8. Ambr. de Isaac & anima. c. 7. malum privatioboni. Sin like an idol which is nothing. Aug. Tract. 1▪ in Io●n. ●a. 1. A religion invented by the Devil ●ou●ng men to sin.  of necessitic, Eusebius sayeth, it would follow, that not man, But his creator should be a sinner. Therefore the manichees, that denied free-will in man, & in place thereof remarked a necessity of sin, consequently avouched, that the maker of the flesh in man was also auctor and worcker of his sins: likewise generally the mahometans, excluding from man free-will, affirm God to because and author of all sins committed by him. The reason whereof is pregnant: for if men offend through necessity, than there is a certain nature conveying them to sin, as the quality of weight and poised doth 'cause the stone to descend: and God being cause and author of nature in all respects, thereby as 'cause of that which necessarily causeth sin, finally is also himself cause of the same. How can God move man to sin, solicit him thereunto, and by course of nature so ordain, that he shall sin of necessity, but also by nature, so by himself combined, he be cause of sin? and so as sayeth Eusebius either adultery, stealth, and the like are no sins, or else, The cause of sin is to be beheld in the creator himself? But considering the diversity betwixt God his concourse and providence in regard of the substance in the act of sin, and the operation of man, it will evidently appear, that only man is author of sin, not God, that doth but permit the same, and not always effectually hinder it. What concourse God imparteth to the will of man offending, he doth it according to conveniency of order, and disposition of natural causes, as teacheth S. August: the which cannot act any thing without his aid and maintenance: whereas the will of man endeavoureth, itself offending contrary to the rule of God, & his own natural reason, with bond and obligation not so to demeine itself: and therefore the freedom of man his comportment being defective, and against the percept of God and nature, the viciositie or mortal culpabilitie of the fact issueth from that quality in the same, which precisely proceedeth from the will of man, and not from the action of God: in that as remarcketh S Augustine, the cause of sin is rather defective, then effective. Upon which consideration by virtue of our doctrine herein we conceive the greater hatred against sin, being not produced by the finger of God, but by human freedom erroneously and unworthily choosing pleasure before virtue; whose evil feature hath no conformity with any idea or resemblance in the mind of almighty God, but rather is an excrement of a v●cious action, breathed upon the soul from that loathsome spirit of sathan: and so sin committed, upon the estimation thereof, we abhor the more, and bitterly in penance, in contrition of ha●te, bewail the disgrace, the dammadge enforced upon us thereby.  
4. But Satan▪ enemy of man kind, thinking it not sufficient for our contamination with si●ne, that we are thereunto much inclined, that we be environed on all paytes with strong allurements thereof, moving us unto foul consent, to establish his empire of iniquity, hath devised, even from heaven, from the divinity, from religion in men's conceits, to present us with motives to sin, to furnish us with excuses from the same. To this purpose he divulged an erronea●se Philosophy, teaching a fatality contained in the staris, as finger of God, contriving all wickedness on earth. Than d●d he place before the pagans eyse a certain number of Gods, whose habits, whose ceremonies, whose histories declared them authors and abettors ●f murder, of whoredom, of stealth, rapine, lechery, and dronckonnes. 
Sed m●, quod 〈◊〉 sim semper amori  
Ipsa renu●●am●o● ducet in Elys●os. 
T●bul l. 1. El●g 3.   
But me ●o fa●●l still to gentle love  
Venus grace will seats in heaven above.  whose statues beheld by the people, gave them encouragement, especially being instruments of religion, to all abomination, as presidents and allowers of their deboshementes. 
Senec. lib. de Breuit vitz c. 16. Piutarch l. de Superstit. Aug. Epist 5. Arist. l. 7. pol. Cap. 17.  what other thing is it, sayeth Seneca then to eutice men to vice, whilst we make the God's authors of sins, and so by example of divinity give them a ●● en●e excesable to cure their diseases? Whereupon Aristotle advertiseth parents; ●hat they, suffer not their children to behold filthy pictures, or scenical representations. but in these words layeth dowen his one, either blind, or abject misery. The magestiate is care, ullie to provide, that no sign or picture be allowed, which by similitude doth imitate faith things: only except the case of they Gods, unto whom the law pernittteth laseiviousnes, and morever alloweth men for themselves, for their children, and for their wives, to sacrifice unto the God●. To this abomination of sin endeavoureth Antichrist to bring the world by instinct of the religion 
Pin l. 1. Hist c 7 Cic●to. l. 4. Tuscul.  Protesantish. It doth exceed all impudently ieth Phnie to feign that there ●e Gods of robberies and wickedness, O worthee reformer of man his l●se the Poot, exclaimeth Cicero, the which placeth love, author of essence and levetie, in the Counsatie of the Gods!  
5. The Protestanter, as minister of sathan, and agent for Antichrist, blusheth not to defame the very providence of almighty God with the effecting of sin, making and divulging him author and cause thereof, not only morally, but phisi●ally and insubstance, although ashamed a●t this our reproach, he feigneth semblance, as if he never minded or harboured any such thought, or committed like opinion to paper and ink the records of man's memory Man sayeth Caluin, by the ●ust prou●●ement of God, 
Calu l 1 just. c. 18 Sect 4.  De impulsu, doth that, whith is not lawful: then is God a persuader, a wisher of sin: one that intends sin by his action and cooperation as end thereof purposed Man performeth nothing, but what God hath dec●●ed with himself and appointed by 〈…〉 direction: lo then God willeth sin, predestmating ●t, disposing and ordaining it by h●s decree, So consequently is cause and author of sin. When man or faith an offendeth God holdeth thest●●rne, and turneth their endeavours to the execution his judgements. Than the purpose in God is, that men and devils shall work sin, to th'end that his judgements be brought to passetand so is principal agent in sin. Mo●● expressly also avoucheth Caluin, God to will actively those operations of men, the which sayeth he, others 
L. 1. c. 18. Sec. ●. l. 2. c. 4.  idly think him only to permit. Wherefore vainly protracinge, so they escape, affirmenge, them only to come to pass by God his permission, and not by his will. The words of the Protestantersaie expressly for this point of blaspheme: the deductions of their doctrine mosste evident and pregnant for illation thereof: why then are they ashamed of the report, and endeavour so carnestlie to divert from their writings and conceits so odious an infamy? Take it to you Protestanters, it is yours, the devils, and Antichristes, that you prove, and we charged you withal. One of them more audacious than the rest to excuse in print this foul fault in his comfort, denieth that the church of 
rob. Abbot. see 14 against D Bishop. Lib. l. de Antichrist.  England ever entertained any such document; and yet the ignorant minister himself affirmeth, that by the evil of God many we are deceived, and followed Antichrist, reading and credittinge the works of the fathers. Again sayeth he, God veth the wickedness of man, and disposeth it to such ends and purposes, as he thinketh good: and sometimes in his just judgement taketh occasion to prouoke●● See the blaspheme of the ignoratnt miscreant! If God dispolse men's sins to any end, intended by him, before they are committed, or whilst they are in act, then as such sins are means to those ends, so are they intended and predestinated by God, even as the ends them cl●es are: in that to will an end dependante of these or these means, implieth an efficacious purpose and deciee of the means; and so sins as means to the ends projected by God, are in virtue of those ends semblably or dayned and predestinated: which is flatly to make God author of sin. Morever if God provoke men to sin, he is moral cause of sin: as the devil is, who enciteth men to commit the same: for provocation to  
sin includeth an affecitn in the provoker that one should sin, or effect that act, which is sinful: in which affection and desire is reposed the moral efficacy of sin: & so is the English Protestantish Church defiled with blasphemy, having drunk the 
Apoc. 17.  very dregs of the heretical harlots cup of abomination. But how dare they deny that, with which we, and they themselves impeach their one credits! Do they not abolish free-will imman, makig all men, yea the very regenerate to harbour 
Witak. l 2. de peccat. orig. Cap. 3. Apoll. Confess. Aug Stapiprefat ad 〈◊〉 l 〈◊〉 Calu l & jest. cap. Sect. ●.  in their souls original sin, the empire and domination of wickedness: as of necessity to break thereby continually the ten commandments, to be guilty of infidelity, of blasphamie, of idolatry, of whoredom, of fornication, of rapine and stealth: yea as speaketh the Augustan confession: To contemn God, to hate the judgements of God, to fly from God, being angry, to despair of grace? And where the is innocency, where virtue, where itstification? marry say they, in Christ, who is sent, not to help us to attain justice in operation, But that he may be our justice by believing: that is although through feral necessity we commit all the villain imaginable, yet are we scotfree and just, honest men and no knaves, believing Christ to be our justice A strange logic of the Protestanter, that a man acting knavery by original sin should not be a knave through benefit of faith, but a fair pure Christian: a knave in Cencreto in fact, and yet right 
Clean ●opicke of a Protestant.  holy in abstracto in belief! Fast then this abominable doctrine of the Protestanter alloweth as good, that ordure of conceit v●nted forth by Simon Magus, and Eunomius to wit, that the perpertration of any sin or perseverance in the same, doth 
Theodo●et. 〈◊〉 hete●lcot. fab. haet 54.  not hurt the faithful, as recordeth Theodoretus: then is the Protestanters hope rendered hereby presumptuous What do I 〈◊〉 presumpruous? ea plainly sacrilegious: for he 〈◊〉 faith hopeth for salvation not only void of verve, required thereunto by God and nature, but surcharged with all 〈◊〉 fithie sins; as if his excrements of a liberty 〈◊〉, his dongh ●ll of sensually, his dominion of slnne, his guife and lake of curpitude, his original come, fountain and furnace of all wickedness, should press up to heaven, to the court of innocence, of splendour offactitie: fie foul dog fie. Than hereapo● doth it ensure, that he maketh God author, and 'cause moral and physical 
Ergo ista non sunt facta per verbum, sedu quecumque naturaliter sunt facta Aug tract ●. in johan. cap. 1.  of all his heallish actions: for as we have learned by the fathers, if men since Adam his fall sin of necessity; God is cause of their sin: therefore free will to consent unto sin denied by the Protestanter, and a necessity. litie of sin established by God and nature in his opinion he maketh them both causes consequently and authors of sin, yea God the principal and most effectual. If man do sin of necessity, and by an antecedent determination of the will as 'cause of sin in that the will applied to sin, consummateth the same by necessity of nature, as doth the stone descend by quality of poise in it, than such loss of liberty, and necessity of doing that which is sin, for that it is a punishment of Adam's sin, his caused by God: for as sa●eth the Prophett, Is there any curll in hte 〈◊〉 that God hath not made? that is no evil of penalty and castigation. 
Amb. 3.  wherefore God causing in man this necessity, which is cause of sin, thereupon is also cause of sin, as by his necessity driving man to sin: and in that man 
Sin natural without ●re will, and so of God.  his action of sin hath not in it any culpable defect, which might take upon it from God the efficacy of sin, in that where is necessity of work, there is rather excuse and no discommendable behaviour, as sense teacheth; therefore God having decreed and ordained this necessity, and not man; the blow and pain infl●cted by God not only is the cause of sin in man, but also he himself is principal actor by this penalty, and procurer thereof. What blasphemy more he●●ous, or more audacious, than this, mounting as high as the sacred hands and heart of Almighty God, from the 
Aug l. 2 de Morib. Eccles. Cap. 2.  mouths of the Protestanters! And not only doth the Protestant denying free will to sin make God author of sin, but also with Manischaeus imagineth a real nature which is a creature of God, intrinfic●llie sin: which is abominable. For consider we original sin according to the Protestant, and we shall see it to be a real inclination of man his nature, or a quality created by God. Take we a veve likewise of the indeliberate motions of concupiscence, reputed as sins by the Protestant: which having no morality from free will, remain real qualities produced by God. Lastclie weigh 
T●e Protestát is a Manichey.  we the condition of actual theft, or murder, respecively to Protestantish principles, and they wanting choice of free will, shall appear as only natural and real actions. Whereupon will follow to we foul heresies: first that God is auctor of sin; unless some reality of thing be not effected by him: which to think is heretical. secondly that sin is a real quality or substance according to the blasphemy of Manichaeus. And that the ugly doctrine of the Protestant might surprasse in abomination that of Manichaeus, he adscribeth to the good God as auctor all filth of bad action, where Manichaeus only relateth the same to a God malignant and of an evil disposition.  
6. But good God, what difference is there betwixt the Israelite, and the Egyptian, 
Putitie of the Catholic doctrine against the Protestanter.  the Catholic, and the Protestant! We Catholic so prize and admire the sacred providence of almighty God, as deeming it in no sort concurrent or appertaining to that contagious blemish of sin: whereas the Protestanter in hope regardeth this his divine care and government of human affairs, as operative in that, which is most detestable, to wit in sin and iniquity. And why should God in displeasure then be enraged against that, which himself hath produced! Why should by that pure and precius blood of his only son, procure redemption from sin, sithence that he by his power, decree and will, hath stained man his nature therewith: poor man in the mean season through necessity of harm and imbecility, not of force to shun the offence? And seeing moreover that all effects proceeding from the action of God, are imitations of his goodness, and perfections correspondent to the idea in him, in whose view they are expressed, how can sin caused by God have any deformity in it, yea not retain some degree of excellency in reckoning of the worck man? Than is not sin so detestable, as the Romances devise and speak: Than for sin need not the heart to feel the corifive of grief, being imprinted in the soul by the finger of God himslefe. lo the common centre of the Protestanters' Theoligie; Excuse and liberty in all villain of sin and turpitude! Who can deem himself accusable or condemnable by God through his sin, firmly believing, such sin to be effected by God; raised up through necessity, and not by the freedom of his on straying will? Whereupon Eusebius, an ancient writer in the primitive church, declareth what is the demeritt of the Protestanters, making in their opinion, almighty God cause and author of sin: He is the worst of all, that by the creator of all doth 〈◊〉, some to be induced to commit adulteries, 
Euseb. l. 6. prae par. c. 5.  others into robberies, others into other vices: because such teachers, as the Protestanters be, aid the devil therein, and endammadge mankind extremely For sathan not content with that great blow he hath given us through original sin, making us prove thereby unto vice, lenow and weak to virtue, adjoineth to our bane the doctrine Protestantish, to persuade by art and faith sin unto us; telling us, that sin is occasioned by necessity, not of free behaviour; and that God is author and cause of sin. Than what benefit by Christianity, by the passion of Christ? not to resist sin, not to avoid sin, which is impossible, but to sin by every part of the body and soul, to violate continually the ten commandments, to be in concupiscence thieves, murderers, 
Cal● 〈◊〉 Inst. c. 3.  infidels, traitors, and yet only believing to remain in safety, and in the estate of justification! O unworthy object of hate and shame to be seriously battered by the pen of any Catholic writer! Let then the Protestanter know, what lesson in this point he hath learned of the devil, endenouring to grace and gild his sins with the manifacture and worckmanship of God himself. Let him understand, that 
No treason is a sin according to the Protestant.  no Prince is to be much offended against his subjects rebellion, who is stirred up by god to rebel, and who is God his mere instrument in act of rebellion.   

The Christian Catholic confidence expecteth of the goodness and justice of almighty God eternal salvation; supposing that we before justification cooperate with his grace by faith, fear, hope, repentance, charity, and after, by observing his commandments: whereas the hope Protestantish, emboldened in presumption, looketh for beatitude by only faith to be obtained, contrary to all virtue, and the grace of Christ, whose effect is virtue.  
CHAPTER. XVIII.  
HE that shall consider the excellency of person and operation in our saviour 
Christian excellency of action.  Christ, and also the great surpassing value of the merit of his cross and passion, must needs resolve with himself to think, that Christian men benefited thereby, before all other professors of religions what soever, be ordained to a more high degree of virtue, of parity, of sanctification, of good endeavours For as speaketh 
Amb. de No & arca c. 4.  S Ambrose the samilies of men are ennobled by the splendour of their race; the grace of the soul is clarified by the spendour of virtue The law of Mice was given from God to the people of Israel, not that: they should stay and demur in the sole illuminaiton of saith and specularive compliment of the understanding, but that from thence they might be instructed in those things, Quae ad animae discipl●nam spectant; That appertain 
Amb. l. 1. of. sic. c. ●.  to the descipline of the soul: and the holy Prophets of almighty God, directed to that people, did especially drive at such purpose, whereby they might abandon sin, and garnish themselves with virtues But most effectually our saviour Christ aimed farther than at the bore perfection of faith, incultatinge unto the world the necessity of houest endeavours, the commodity of them; willing us to be the good seed which 
Math. 7. Luc. 13. Math 22. Math 24. Luc. 18.  bringeth forth an hundred fold of increase, to enter in at the narrow gate of a mortified, kerbed, and restrained 〈◊〉: to purchase that precious margarite of heaven with dispense, yea loss, of all worldly commodities: to imitate the prudent virgins, as well provided of oil of charity, as lamps of virginity; to adjoin unto a faithful repair unto his church, the wedding garment of virtuous life: to play the true and industrious servant in procuring garment of virtuous life: to play the true and industrious servant inprocuring increase by those gifts and grace which we have received: and to conclude with the Apostle, The will of God is our sand. ●ification. So that according 
1 Thess. 4. Basil. de spir. sanct c. 15. Nis sen l. de chatact hom. christ. Psal. jon  to S. Basill the gaspell of Christ, or the profession of Christinitie, is nothinge-els, but the form of a life from resurrection, that is the active accomplishment in virtuous offices, after sin, once by death abolished, and newness of good life succeeding, appearing in a resurrection, as it were in the revived phoenix, or imping out of new fathers in the eagle by course of nature having recovered her youth. Christ died for us to the end That the justification of the la might be fulfilled in us: that is, we employ ourselves 
Rom. 8.  in virtuous actions prescribed by the law of God and nature: which do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. A spiritual walking then and passage in 
Ephes. 2.  the operations of virtue is the diadem and flower of our Christianity: we being a People followers of good works: that we may walk to newness of life, created in Christ jesus in good worcles, the which god hath prepared, that we should wal●e in them. To which effect nothing can be uttered ●ither of grater h●ght and excellency, or more for the recommendation of our Christianity, than what avoucheth S. Gregory Nissen, sayhing, 
Greg. Nissen I desorma ho●in. Christ●at Math 5. Hope o●●u stification by faith, hope, charity.  that Christianti●e is an imitation of God▪ according to the counsel of our saviuor. be you perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.  
2. To the end therefore we may asive from sin to the grace of justification, we Catholics ascertain ourselves▪ that first we are to be disposed by an assent of true and divine faith, creditting all the ministries belonging unto the substance of Christain redemption: and that by such faith, as whose object is general, and jointly to be believed of all the faithful: as are the articles of faith comprised in the Apostles Creed. Which act of faith we make a vital operation of man his understanding cooperating with the grace of illumnation: apperrayning also to the work of faith the consent of a good will, we voluntarily an● freely, through the grace of vocarton and persuasion, 
Heb. 11.  crediting the mysteries of the Christian rel●gton. Without faith it is impopib●eto pleased, sayeth the Apostle. In this humility of ours we subdue bo●h reason and w●ll 
Cor. 10. Greg Naz. orat in Iul Origen. ● l. in Celsum H●eron Prefat I de seript. Iren. l 1. job. 4. Rom. 10. Aug. despite. & l. ● c. 13 &. 19 Concil. Trid. Sed 6. cap 8. Aug. lib 83. quest q 76. Crisost ho. mil 51. add pop. & 19 ad Rom. jacob 1. Qu●a fidem Ab●azae bona opera conse guata Aug 83. quest. q 76. Cit Catech. 5. Hope. a dispontion to justification. Math 9 Ecclesiast. ●. 1 joan. 4. Act. 2. How hope looketh for justification Greg. 〈◊〉 in job cap 21. Math 19 Luc. ●0. Rom 8.  in cap●uitie of faith in those th●nges, that surpasle our naturl● knowledge, and are content to su●●ne reproach from ●●. han the Apostata: Saying your 〈◊〉 me is nothing ●s but a Cred●, a be●eese: from Celsus likewise, terming our holy faith a Rustical simplicity: from Valentinus also, and the G●ostickes, calling Christian believers carnal and gross concerptors. But we answer with patiented job: Moriovor there was an bidden wordesp●●en unto me, and mine ●are in stealth received the reinss of the wh●●pering thereof. And with the Apostle 〈◊〉 th●● shalt confess with thy mouth ●●r L●d jesus, and in thy heart believe that God hath rayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death, thou shalt be saved. And for the● from fa●th as foundation of the spiritual bu●lding●n our soul, beginuneth our fi●st conversion to God, thereout branching● hope, 〈◊〉 and justification by Ch●ist, Qua●amns quod ●ubet, as speaketh S. Augustin, by which 〈◊〉, that, which 〈◊〉 are commanded: therefore unto faith is attributed in h●ly Scriptures justification; especially when in opposition to the law of the l●w 〈…〉 without faith in ●hrist, the text is directed against the Synagogue. To which work of faith we must adtoyne the r●●sing up of hope, the ferour of charity. and b●●tetnes of repentance▪ in that faith of itself is so f●rre from remitting sins, that in aggra●●eth them, and ma●eth them more odioud in the sight of almighty God. Faith b● itself sayeth S Chosostome, cannot b●ng● any into the kingdom of lea●en but rather it importeth that. the which may condemneevil. 〈◊〉 an● without good workest dead in it self as speaketh the Apostle. Neu 〈…〉 was Abraham, telleth us S. Cirill. called the 〈◊〉 of God, 〈◊〉 ad●el●eaed, and 〈◊〉 word, according to his saith. That hope s●lso p●●te of that d●● osit on which is required of usto justification, de●reth our Saviour: Hope son, thy sins are forgiven thee: fear also must have its place: The sear of ●od ex 〈…〉 sinee Charity semblaby appetraineth thereunto: He that remayenet● in charity 〈◊〉 God, in h●m. Repentance finally is expacted: Do you penance, and be everieone of you baptized in the name of 〈…〉 us chris●e, to these regivenes of your sins. Than whenas into the soul this prepared by the holy ghost is inspired the inhertent grace of justification; hope confientl●e reareth her 〈◊〉 to the expectation of ternall salvation according to the promises of God ma●e●n our Sau 〈…〉 lesus Christ: whi●h promises, faith a sue●●iseth hope, that they are condicional, that they do concern and import out good behaviour, our worck ●ge through vital and free motion of will with the inward grace of God: If thou 〈◊〉 cu●ers to the kingdom of heaven, keep the commann lementes. Do this, and thou shalt lives I we●uss●● together, that wemay beglorisied together. That to conel●de, our ●hristian Catholic hope expecteth iustisication and remission of sins respectrueely to the works of faith, of hope, of fear, of charity, and repentance: also it giveth us confidence that we shall be saved in heaven conditionally if here by good works and virtues we observe the commandments, mortify and chastise the concupiscence of the flesh, and in some sort conform our selves to that perfection and puritic which is drawn forth, as exemplar before our eyes, in our Saviour jesus Christ.  
3. The Protestanter expecteth the grace of justification to be attained only by an 
Faith Protestantish how it iustiheth.  act of faith apprehending in firmity of belief the promises of God, that is, that to him in particular in imputed the justice of Christ, and notimputed whatsoever sins committed. Whereupon he maketh a distinction of two faiths, the one historical, 
Calu. l. 3. Inst. c. 11. ●ec. 9 & 19  as the faith of all the mysteries of our Saviour Christ historically laid down in the gospel, the other particular & especial, when he believeth that he himself is just: which he reckoneth the principal proper faith, the other in comparison of this terming a shadow, and an Image, Of no import, not worthy the name of saith. Furthermore the Protestanters' judgement is, as hath been declered, that this conversion of man to God by faith, is to be entirely effected by sole grace, the will or understanding of him supposed thereunto as a passive subject to admit the ●●pression of God. To this they enforce themselves by their own impeachment of our doctrine: and first in that according to them, the grace of justification is not to be acquired by works of men, as by faith hope, and charity, the will cooperating with grace; they make faith therefore no work or operation of man; for otherwise they should encurr● the inconvenience, 
joan. 8. Aug. l. 1. de praede●● Sa●ct. ca ●.  to wit, that although justification be not the effect of works, yet it is of a work according to our Saviour: if faith were the workce of man actually by grace consenting thereunto, and so a man should be justified by his work. Than they seek for a perfect repose ease and assurance of justice; which security could not be obrained, 
Rainol. Thes. S. ●ect. 33.  if it depended on the work of man, as they say themselves: therefore their justifying faith must be no work, action, or motion of the soul, but a bore impression from God into the same, as subject passively receiving it. 
Protestants differabout the union of saith & good works.   
4. Now there groweth a difference and altercation amongst the Protestanters themselves, as concerning the efficacy and force of this faith: The Lutherish attributing so much to faith, as that it doth iustfie with out all good works, yea with any sin, only infidelity excepted. Luther seeing in deed the evident consequent of his justifying faith, to be immunity with sin, after the Gnostickes and Eunomius freely acknowledgeth as much; as he is of a round spirit, and loveth not to dissemble: only 
juth. l. de lib. Christ. Quando audierimus, sides tua te saluani fecit, n● acc●p●nius e● dicere absolute eos futuros qui quomodocunque crediderint, nisifacta quoque fue●nt consecuta. Clem Alex. l. 6 storm. Solin. lib. de Orbs situ. c. 9 Sclussel. ar. de bonis oper  sayeth he, by imp●et●e and ineredulitie of heart is made mangudtie of sin, and to be damned, and not by any outward sin or wor●●. Lo here a ●ustifyinge faith consisteth will all external tr●pitude of adultery, of fornication, and the like. Is not this Euangelister a sweet puppy▪ and well deserveth his grand father's blessing the devil? yea he maketh by his justifying faith advantage and commodity by sins: their is not thing so bad that doth not wo●● ceme good, if I believe A near believe! Not bad work rendereth a man damnable but incredulity. A privilege of the Protestantish saith in all iniquity. like to that grace, the which had a family in Rome of the Mar●i, the which as recordeth Solinus, could not be hurt by any venomous beast, in that they descended by race and lineage from Circe's, that famous witch: so the Protestanter engendered of the witchery of Antichrist, endureth no damage through any crime, reserving faith a cloak for all bad wether, and all bad wether well acquainted with his cloak. Sclusselburge, a Lutherish Protestanter, thus defineth of the necessity of works to be adjoined to faith: Asby faith without world, we are justified, so by faith without worcles we are saved, we are i●ste, we are blessed by only faith without the la, without works. And whereas S. james pronounceth that faith without works is dead in itself: he saith, that james cannot be reconeiled to the epistles of S. Paul without Operosa expositione & mitigatione, a difficult exposition and mitization; as is if the Apostles in doctrine about a capital point were. at variance. Other Protestants with Arecius exacting good works to salvation as a necessary effect of faith and sign thereof, he termeth in scorn legistas & operistas Leg●stes and operistes: and so beyond the filth of jovinian and Eunomius is marched on this Protestanter to the abolishment of all virtue and honesty.  
5. The Caluinister well perceiving how disgraceful a thing it is even to nature 
Caluin ●oyneth works to faith in ●hew.  and common sense, to attirbute justification so to faith only, as if faith despoiled of all good works, and defiled with all enormities, did apprehended the grace of iustication, saith, that indeed the a●t of sole faith justifieth, yet of such a faith, as is not alone; in that necessarily faith bringeth forth good works: It doth follow that faith must not 
Calu l ●. Inst. c 11 sect. 6. c. 2. sect 5 & 9 Rob. Abbot. sect ●. against D. Bishop.  be severed ●n no case from a pious affection. To which purpose Caluin compareth the justifying faith to charity and good works, as the sun to the heat and light thereof: all being inseparable: Together sayeth he werece●ue justice and sanctification. Whereupon they conclude, that faith only is suffiment to iustisication, yet no faith sussicient to salvation. But in what ●e●se a justifying faith is conjoined to purity, sanctity, and to virtues, he himself declareth, admitting actual and deadly sin as companion of faith: for to affirm man now to be in himself just and clean in the sight of God, is ●● justle christ out of his place. So that by this deep Theologue, purity by Christ, innocency, absence 
Sect 17.  of deadly sin, do stand against the merit of Christ: yea more than doth deadly concupiscence and breach of the whole ten commandments, it remaining with a justifying faith▪ & perfect acknowledgement of Christ as redeemer! Good God, than virtue, 
Witark. l 2. depeceat. orig c. 3.  true justice▪ innocency justle Christ out of his place, but adulteire, fornication, ha●●ed of God, united to faith approve and maintain his soueraint●e! Now let us proceed to the tr●●ll and touch stone, and search by the rule of faith, and quality of God his grace through lesus Christ, which hope is to have the preferrment.  
6 The Catholic hope is industrious, active, and virtuous, looking for salvation 
Hope Catholic operative against the Pro●estante.  by faith, as a vital and free work of man his consent and understanding: whereas the hope Protestantish expecteth for justification & salvation in means of a sole faith, the which is not any action of man, but a ba●e impression from God. O foul presumption! must God justify and glorify that soul. which moveth not in act of faith, but lieth dead in the lethargy of an idle subjection! Can such a fatal grace in the so●le make it amiable to God, or commendable to man, the which is not to be found in man his behaviour, car●●dge or function of any faculty in him! Is it all one to walk in newness 
Coloss. 2. Rom. 8.  of life, to submit the arrogant crest of a proud spirit to the humility of faith, and to be carried away by an other, or depressed by extern violency! Not, not, Al●●d semper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chr●sti 〈…〉: aliud l●xuria vinolentorum, of one kind if the severe 
Aug l. 2. cont. Faust. c. 21.  and studious discipline of the Christian Catholic, and of an other the reckless laisy liberty of the drunken heretic. To this effect Caluin argueth against the school divines, which placed the grace of Christ in that, whereby man his will is aided ad studium●an●litatis, to he study of sanctity, rather reposing it in the receipt of Christ his 
Calu l. 3. Inst c 11. Sect ●. & 1●.  justice imputed: granting to man his will no cooperation with grace, as hath been declared Or if the Protestanter informed by shame shall admit his justifying faith to be the work of man, cooperating with grace, he should be deprived of his honey comb of security, and turned to graze amongst his fellows upon nettles and thistles of acerbity, and then must the merry, secure, and idie Protestanter go whine and lament having pricked himself with thorns of distrust and dubitancie, If sayeth he my justification, my remission of sins should depend of any work of 〈…〉 in, in my concept, I should first injury the very nature and benefit of grace, being a free gift of the Lord without all respect to my work or endeavour: then also if justification and salvation depend on my good work or works, I could not have any certainty 
Calu. l. 3 Inst. c 1. sect. 38. Rainol. sup.  of my proper justification or salvation, but still rather doubt, whetehr I have demeaned myself in saith, hope, and charity as I aught to have done, and is required. Which inference if he maintain as good, then must he not accout of faith as any work of man, lest that he seem thereby to promise' himself justification and and salvation respectively, if not to his works, ●ett to his work of faith. Than a Protestant is converted to God not actively but passively, as the marigould is gired by the sun: he converteth not actnally himself endeavouring with grace: and so indeed the Protestant doth not believe in God, no more than the paper writeth; the which I easily and most firmly believe of him. A vain, a presumptuous hope, a monstrous cogitation to look for justification and saluat: on by that, which man acteth not, excluding his actual faith, hope, and charity! The Catholic truth is avouched by S. Augustine: 
Aug. lib. 2. depeccat. mor. c. 9 de Grat. & l. arb. c. 7.  Not man canbeleeve by any free-will, is there be no persuasion or vocation why a man is to believe. Surely the very will to believe God wo●cketh in m●n, and in all things his mercy doth prevent us. But to consent to the vocation, or descent, as I have sa●d, is of everse man his will.  
7. We Catholics esteem that precious jewel of a justifying grace art such a rate 
Augustin de fide & oper. cap. 14. affirmeth only faith not to make man differ from the d●uills. Epist. 106. De praed. Sanct. e. 16. Reformation of will to justification. Ci●ill. in 10 a. l. 2. c. 16. Isa. 7. jacob. 2.  and excellency, that we deem not to be the price therofan act of sole faith before charity and repentance: for seeing that the will of man is the seat of sin, and hath actually transgressed, the same will by good work thereof is first to be corrected, reformed, and turned to God almighty, before the soul can receive that gracious pearl of justification. S. Cirill, Pat●●arch of Alexandria, and the most learned of the Greek church, excellently well delivereth unto us in what sense justification is attributed in holy Scriptures to faith, and why it is called by our saviour Christ eternal life. But saveth he if the knowledgement of God be eternal life, how will one (aye, do we stand in need of any thingeels? And if we stand in need of nothige else, how is it reported, saith without works to be dead? But saith what is it else then the tive acknowwledgement of God? For that by saith knowledge is atcheiued, witnesseth Isaias saying: if you do not believe, you do not understand, But that a bar●sight of knowledge is unprositable, the voices of the saints do affirm. For a certain disciple of our Sautour sayeth, thou dost, thou dost believe that there is one God, and thou dost well, yet the devils believe, and are in horror, what then shall we say to this? or how are the words of our Saviour true? But they be true without all deubt. Knowledge therefore is our life, because it bringeth forth the whole virtue of the mystery, & affordeth participation of the mystical blazing, by which we are toyn to the word of life. For the same cause as I th●●le, S Paul writeth that the Gentiles are participantes with Christ, and as I may say, concorpores: & concorporate 
Real pres●ce.  incorporated with him in one body, for that they do participate of his flesh and blood: so that the members of Christ are said to be our members. Knowledge therefore is life, bringing 
Charity in perfection like to oil suimming above. Aug. Tract. 6 in joan. c 1. Rom. 5. F●dem habebant, charitatem non habenat, id co daemones erant. August. Tract. 8 in joan. c. 1. : unto us the spiritual benediction, by the which the holy ghost dwelleth in our hearts to the adoption of the children of God, and truepietie, by an evangelical life and a reforming incorrup●ibili●e. Since therefore that the beginning and origen, and as it were the paranym●he of all the said goods, the knowledge of God is sound to be, right, by our Saviour it is called life eternal, as the mother and root, in virtue of it nature bringing forth eternal life. So that faith justifieth, faith saveth, because it beginneth & commenceth out conversion to God, which conversion proceedeth from faith to hope, and from this to charity, where it is consummated: there by being finally infused into our hearts the holy ghost by his grace of justification and sanctification Than the Protestanter in his hope mispriseth the velew of a justifying grace, making no other preparement unto it, then by a sole faith; the will never a white abettered or directed to God, from whom it hath strayed by sin. Faith therefore is the cause. the root, the origen, the paranimph of justification, not the attaining of it in it own formal and proper nature So also Clem. Alex. termeth 
Clem. Alex. 2. storm. in princio. Aug. l. de spit. & lit. ca 30. 31. & 17. Heretics have thought only faith to justify whe● men live ill, and have no good worekes Aug de great. & lib. ar● c 7 8. Puri●●e of disposition to justification against the Protestanter Aug. lib. de spit. & lit. c. 36. l. t de Baptismo c. 8. 10. l. 1 cont. Crescon. c. 20. Fulgent de Incarnate c. 1. Council Trid. Sess 6 c. 9 Calu. l. 3. c 1. sect. 40.  faith The first inelination in us to health, after that fear, hope, and penance, with continence and suffering, do bring us going onwards to charity and knowledge. To the same drift S. Augustine: Neither is the la fulfilled but by free-will: but by the la cometh the knowledge of sin, by faith the impetration of grace against sin, by grace the recurring of the soul from the vice sin: by the health of the soul freedom of will: so that the grace of justification is not included in faith, but it is an effect of prayer after faith: which grace is inherent, because it taketh away sin, and also for that it enableth the will to keep God his commandments: the which power S. Augustin calleth Freedom of will. Than let it here be concluded, that the Protestantish hope by only faith promising unto himself justification and remission of sins, is open and manifest presumption.  
8. The Catholic knowing that faith always doth not effect reformation of the will, but may stand with the evil demanour thereof according to S. Augustine: A thing may be known and believed, and yet not loved, therefore in humility faith maketh us seek farther after a iustifiing grace by charity and repentance: neither have we that certainty, which is proper to faith, that we believe, love, or repent as we aught to do; and therefore reserve ourselves in a moderate temperature of submission; when as the faith of the Protestanter is extremely arrogant and presumptuous, assecuring himself with as great certainty, as that God is existent, that he is just, that he hath his sins remitted, and can in no wise through slight or malice of sathan lose his justifying grace. It is a preposterous thing sayeth Calum to limit to a small time the certainty of faith, whose propriety is from the times of this life passed, to reach out to eternity. So that justifying faith is only found in the predestinate, and once conceived in the soul, it can never thence after by any sin be expulsed. Is not then the hope Protestantish presumptuous, so desyning of justification, the establishment thereof and assurance, whereby it declareth unto a man, that he is predestinate: where is then the fear of God, where humility of spirit in this hauture and arrogancy of a Protestantish belief?  
9 The Catholic hope reaching in expectation to the grace of justice, aimeth thereby 
Faith of the Catholic pure, but the Protestantish justifying faith most impure.  at purity, at a perfect remission and extinction of all damnable sin, at the virtues in general, which observe the law of God and nature; and in some at Christianity: whereas the hope Protestantish, reposing justice upon one sole act of faith, under the coverture 〈◊〉 attributing all to the iust●ce of Christ, destroyeth all justice of man, all gra●e of Christ, yieldeth to liberty, to sin, and giveth a free dispensation from any dammadge, either in the kind, or number of abominable offences. The Catholic 
Aug. De Fide & oper. c. 16. 1. john. 5. 1. Tim. 5.  regardeth by faith Christ upon the cross, as thereby from him to derive unto his soul the fiery grace of charity, to burn out there the frets and spots of sins, to live according unto the law, in the charity observeth the law, & is the end of the same, and therefore cannot abide together with any mortal trespass, consisting in some notorious breath thereof. But the Protestanter in faith looketh upon Christ, as if by the benefit of his passion, apprehended by faith, he had an immunity from detriment violating the law, it being, not with standing all grace from Christ, unto him impossible to be kept: yea all virtues effected by such grace remaining in him mortal sins: 
Caluin. lib. 3. Inst. cap. 19 Sect. 9  ●nd therefore believeth Christ to be his justice, and his sin not to be imputed, that he may freely commit what enormity he shall please to put in practice. This, this, is the very but and Scope of the Protestantish faith and hope. Do they not confess, that in the very regenerate and justified, nature violated and disordered breaketh out by actions of all her saculties from top to the toc, as we have heard out of Caluin, into all manner of offences, to the breach of all the ten commandments? so that faithful & just persons, according to the tenor Protestantish, are guilty of fornication, 
Witak. l. 2. de ●eccat. orig Cap. 3.  of infidelity, of murder, of treason, of blasphemy; & yet in the hea●e & act of all these sins remain just and pure, with absolute indemnity from spiritual annoy? And why? because they believe these sins, breaking continually out of the furnace of concupiscence, not to be imputed: The object and matter of their faith is sin 
Cal●● lib. 2. lust. Cap. 1.  committed, and to be believed, that it is not imputed: how then doth it disagree from iniquity, or produce the opposite virtues? The act of seeing doth not repugn with the light of the air, because one is cause of the other: nor the flame of the lamp is uncompossible and uncombinable with the liquor of the oil, for that one is the nurture of the other: so sin being the obiective cause, meat and drink, as it were, of a Protestantish faith, why should not this faith cohere and consist with all manner of turpitude, with the excrements of hell; yea afford a privilege of safeguard to all offenders? The Protestanter esteemeth as mortally sinful all motions of concupiscence in the regenerate, and as offences against the precepts of God, contrary to the virtues of chastity, of temperance, of justice, of piety, and the rest, and that with some consent 
Witak. l 1. de peccat orig. Cap. 1. 3. 5. No●● tamen ita ●n●ell gen dum est, ut accept aside, si 〈◊〉, dicamus eum justum, e●●am si male vixerit. Aug. l 83. quest q. 76.  and complacence: whereby thou mayest understand sin to rem ●ine in the children of God. So that the children of God are no more honest men, than the children of the devil: yea those are worse by a lie and blasphem●e, believing nothing imputed unto them they do: which faith these of the devils brood, honester men a great deal, are devoid of Forremission doth not procure the sin not to be, but only that it be not imputed as sin: so that the remission of sins by the Protestantish belief doth abide and consist with the very act of damnable concupiscence; not absent either in habit, either in operation. Lo here then the old Gnostikes and Puritans transformed into Protestants: neither of them receiving hurt from sin, both their justices by faith remaining with the actual breach of God his commandments, with actual blasphemy, with actual adultery, murder & the rest! And what benefit then & grace this Cyprian wanton faith 
The Prote 〈…〉 hell. Calum lib. 3. just. cap. 11. Sect. 19  of the Protestant doth perform to one that actually offendeth? marry sayeth Caluin, the lest drop thereof, instilled into our souls, maketh us to behold the face of God most pleasant and fair, and to be propitious unto us. O sathan, this is thy plot and devise, that not only by evil bent of nature men should be alured to sin, but also that the very grace of heaven, the cross of Christ, should yield men courage and resolution to sin: some 
judaei.  transferring as foretold S. Ind the grace of our saviour jesus Christ into riotousness! How then is a Protestant by his justifying faith protected from sin, or what damage suffereth he by sin? One answereth, that no faithful Protestant can sin with a full 
Field. sup. His full consent.  consent: without the which all sins in the world may be heaped upon him, as he confesseth. What means this man by a full consent? Doth he take it to be an act of free-will consenting to sin? no surely, for than should he renounce suit, and become in that behalf a Romance: or that no protestant can sin if he be awake, not in drink, or in his wits, all sins creeping upon him before he be ware? if thus, happy Protestant if he would always be allerte and wachefull! But what if a Protestant be found to have had his hand in an other man's purse, will he grant that such a companion was not a sleep, having eyes as well in his fingers, as in his head? or that he fully consented to that pickery? Not, doubtless will he say, if he were a good protestant, yea or his father had a justifying faith, he never fell to caruinge of an other man's purse strings with a full consent, not although he felt the purse full of 
baptized persons sinned in incontinency. 1. Cor. 2 Aug Epist 108.  money, or if the judge sentence him after to the gollowes as a varlett full of knavery. In deed I must needs confess, that I can sooner believe, that a Protestant sinneth sometimes with full consent, than I can prove it, in that his full consent lieth lurking in the closert of his own conscience: but I may see sometimes the full moon of knavery without all doubt shine in his masterships' sphere of activity. I demand 
Aug. Epi. 108.  of this enemy of all full consent, whether without the same the just do offend deadly and mortally, God hating their fact, and deeming it worthy of hell fire? if he grant the affirmative, why then doth he exclude full consent from the trespasses of the faithful, seeing that the fact is as bad as damnable, as odious to God, as if it ●ad conjoined unto it the fullness of consent? Than if the Protestantish justice may remain in safety with adultery, with fornication, with infidelity, and blasphemy, fullness of consent removed, so it may also consist with them although committed by full consent; for that the opposition that sin hath with justice, as contraries not compossible together in one soul, is the perfection of justice, and the adverse turpitude, demeritt, and st●ine of sin. Besides that, if all sins may stand with justice by faith, where there is no full consent, than also with infidelity; if with infidelity, where is faith, unless by the wise Theology of this Menippus, together a man be faithful, and ye●t an infidel, believe in the promises of God, and yet discreditt them, go forwards and ba●wardes, swim and sink? Moreover these sins committed by the just, and not imputed unto them, are true breaches of God his commandments, and so contrary vices to the virtues moral and intellectual in them implied: whereupon it doth follow, that a Protestant without loss of justice may be an idolater, an infidel, a blasphemer against the first commandment, & against the virtues of faith and religion: he may also trespass in impunity against charity by murder, theft, infamy, against temperance by gluttony, against chastity by adultery; against religion he may play the Hell chesite, and openly deny his faith. where then is a faith accompanied with newness of life, with charity, with the virtues intellectual and moral? Let us hear. Caluin recount, what damage the just and faithful Protestants endure by sin▪ Truly they effend sayeth he, yet not thereunto induced by their confidence in God, but only by infirmity: 
〈◊〉. l. 3. Inst. c. 1. sect. 40.  and they aught to reckon great loss in that, when the glory and will of God are violated. In deed it were too too gross a villain to define, that faith and hope in God should egg one forwards to wickedness; although by and by we will prove, that the faith & hope Protestantish encourageth men to sin: notwithstanding he admitteth, that the just sin of infirmity, that is they break the ten commanndementes, be guilty of adultery, of theft, impiety, desperation, and swarm again in the eyes of God in mortal offences: this Caluin cannot, nor will deny. But what loss then cometh to the delinquentes in these crimes? Mary sayeth he, they Violate the will and glo●●e of God. Do Protestants, do saints, enfolded in the justice of Christ promised them by God, his children and deareones violate his will and glory? What can the most filthy offender go more, then infringe the will, the glory of God? so that the great Turck and the faithful Protestant in the seals of just consideration are of equal weight and poised their manners considered, and alike violate the glory and will of God: only the Protestant hath hanging o●er his head the rainbow of an imputative justice; that is, the one must sink into hell by the weight of his bad actions, the other as massy, and as musty as he, yet must be elevated forsooth unto heaven: the same sins in one ordained for smoky hell, and in an other for a shining paradise. But the Protestants, as they know themselves sinners, so also by faith they are assured that their sins are not imputed; and that God will not reckon their robberies for 
Faith is so far from perdoning sin that it maketh the same greater. Non enim. pe● se in regnum Introducere potest fides, sed potius habet, unde malam de gen●es vitam con d●net. Chrys. hom. 51. ad Pop. Iten l. 4. c. 66.  robberies, their adulteries and concupiscence for such, their violations of his will and glory for any injuries against his divine majesty. Whereupon I see nor, why a Protestant in recognizance of his sins, should either break his will, or his sleep: he knoweth that notwithstanding all his sins, his soul liveth still in justice, and that the lords face, as speaketh Caluin, in his beastly hypocrisy, simileth upon him, that he may rest in Christ, he may sleep and repose, the Lord will cover his sins both from the justice of his father & malice of the devil: he is assured that he hath trespassed through mere necessity, by a necessary effect and motion of a corrupt nature, that even naturally all his best endeavours are foul mortal sins; and so holding himself half excused, and wholly assoiled in Christ, he will betake himself to his ease; to his rest, to the sugar of his gospel; let God think what he will in the mean season, that his facts have violated his will and glory: Volent● non sit iniuria no injury against him, that willeth and causeth the injury. O Beetle and Scarabey of the Protestanter, taking up his lodging towards night of dark ignorance, in the excrements of such filthy beastliness!  
10 In this faith justifying, devised by the Protestanter, as we have discovered the 
The hypocrisy & liberty. of the Protestantish faith.  note of vanity and illusion in the predecent treatise, so now it remaineth we impeach the same of deep hypocrisy, and of filthy liberty. The Protestant intending wholly by his sect, and bulk of his faction, to give himself the full scope, and lose rains to all sensual liberty, finding such an intent even to nature in every one to be passing odious and reproachful, covereth the same with an hypocritical appearance of Christ his justice and mercies, contraposed to men's endeavours and deserts: as if the Protestanter meant in good earnest to magnify Christ, to rely only upon his justice, and to take the same as his full discharged and pardon from all iniquity. Yet not with standing he speaketh a lie in hypocrisy, as sayeth S. Jude: for a lie it is, that a Protestant 
jud. 1.  is as just as Christ himself, or that he is exhibited just by his justice: a lie it is, that a Protestant can be just by the outward justice of Christ, remaining in his soul, not only in habit, but also in act, the manifest breach of the whole ten commandments, as concupiscence of adultery, of fornication, yea of rebellion, with a Protestant the greatest sin. A lie it is, and that grimed with blasphemy, that God doth not impute sin, to him that sinneth, knavery to a knave, or covercth sin in any offendante before the act of charity and repentance. O lie of hypocrisy, implied in 
Contra evidentissima testimonia securos faciunt de percipienda salute nequissimos, nequitiae suae pertinacissime coherentes, vec emen dando aut pae nitendo mutatos. Aug. li. de Fid. & oper. c. 15.  this justifying faith Protestantish! The only way the Protestanter hath to excuse his faith, as fairest flower in his garland, from licentious turpitude, is to affirm, that of necessity it is coupled with charity, with the virtues performing a new and Christian life, and in some with all good works. The fool in his net, or in a cadge of glass, thinketh no man to espy him with his asinarie. David a just man committed adultery, and murder: he had a faith justifying according to the Protestants Theology: but where was for the time his charity, where was his chastity, his newness of life, of his sanctification? S. Peter a just person in that moment denied his master, as the Protestanter will define: his faith was remanente, but where was his charity, his profession of the gospel, his fortitude, his complete furniture of Christian perfection? O the purity of a justifying faith, when adulterers, deniers of God with all evil works, & in want of all good, may be just in aquicning faith, be lapped in the cloak of Christ his innocency, washed in the blood of the lamb, endowed with the stole of his righteousness, and such cozening colours, to conceal and gild the bad project of liberty and sensuality! The object of faith by them is sin what somever, as to be believed, that 
Faith of the Protestanter standeth with any sin.  it is not imputed: Why then can not a man actually committing adultery believe it not imputed, or believe adultery by him hereafter to be performed, and now purposed, not to be imputed? the fact of sin is in the will, the act of beleefee in the understanding; so that there is no reason to the contrary, why he should not believe not to be imputed unto him what soever he now doth, or is in purpose to put in execution: because as I said, there is no contrariety or incompossibilitie betwit any operation and the object thereof, in that the object is cause of that act, and the mark art which it aimeth. Than we have the Protestanter his justifying faith first severed from charity 
Such faith is condemned by S. Aug l. 1. de Baptismo c. 8. l. 2 de peccat me●. c ●8. Fides itaque christi, fides gra●ae Christian●: id est ●a fides, quae per dilectionem operatur. De Fid. & oper c. 16. in Enchir. c. 67. Epist. 105. jacob. 5. Beza. Rom. 6. Calu. l. 2. Inst. cap 3. W●●ak. l. 2. de peccat. o●ig. cap. 3. Si autem male & non bene operatur proculdubio iecundum Apostolum Paulum mo●●ua est in semctipsa. Aug. in Enchir. c. 67. The gnostical puritanical faith of George Abb. pag 308. This liberal squire promiseth more than christ meaneth to perform, beestoing heaven upon on that wanteth his wedding garment: or commun honesty, and is in affection, not retracted from kana●●●y. Faith of the Protestanter against state.  and good works, yea drowned in bad offences: then receive we from his saith an encouragement, a prou●kement, an enchantment to sin; in that a man is bound to believe that no sin is, or shall be imputed unto him: and so freed from annoy by his faith through sin, then baited with the swett contentment of the same, the Protestant in virtue of his justifying faith may rush bodlely upon all wickedness; play and disport himself with the flesh and the devil, and receive no scratch or scar from his fowl fingers. Fie filthy Gnostickes, Eunomians, Valentinians, Puritans, fie. ●his is the porckarie of their Christianity. The Apostle S. james telleth us, that faith is dead without good works; and therefore reproveth the Protestanter seeking for justification by a dead, yea a stinking carionely faith What works had the faith of Adame in his offence, of David in his murder and adultery, of S. Peter in his denial: to conclude, how, in all protestants, in whom the flesh doth sometimes overcome, as sayeth Beza, who ●●ow again in concupiscences by act of all the facullies of the soul, as telleth us Caluin: that violate continually the ten commandments, as pronounceth an other; that being the children of God, yet del●●●antur play the wantonness, is to be found innocency, purity, the good works of virtues, of charity; seeing that their opposite vices do abound? Unless the Protestanter together will have a few good works, and a mass of bad ones, be virtuous and vicious, in charity, and out of charity, black and white, for God and for the devil. Take me one I beseech you, that is justified by only faith, either in the fact of murder, or soon after; in that it is not necessary, that strait way as soon as a man believeth his murder not to be imputed, he should forthwith repent, work well, or love God, and his neighbour: I demand if such a faithful protestant should dye before good works, where would he take up his lodging? Would he sink, or swim? Purgatory he meaneth not to visit, to hell his justifying faith will not suffer him to descend: shall he then to heaven, with a dead faith, having not the lively motion of good works, shall knaves mount to heaven? is not a murderer a knave by guilt of his murder, and doth he not remain a knave retaining in his soul the spot of knavery, the affection of knavery, the which he doth keep before repentance, and retractation of the will? Yet you shall hear a bold fellow, that will grant a passport in this case to a deceased Protestant, and sand him roundly to heaven in all his knavery: belike being well acquainted with the porter, be presumes of his favour and admittance for his Client; I● he dy● immediately having no time to work, yet he by believing is iusti●yed. It is a jesting man! Now than what a hope is that, which supporteth the Protestanter, so ●amiliar and conversant with sin, so pro●e to sin, so persuasive to sin; hoping that he is to be the child of God committing what sin soever, and by the justice of Christ apprehended to suffer no detriment from sin? he hath a box of hope in which is a receit against all poison of sin: let either he himself, or the devil power them on him as fast as they william. But let the civil magistrate look as well to this, as the Christian Catholic: and know hereby, that no faithful Protestant can be a good subject; and that not only by his privilege of equivocation and lying, by a gross ignorancy, and very infamy of our schools and country, charging the Catholic therewith. Let the prince have an eye to his subject Protestantish: for he believeth no treason, no robbery, no adultery to be imputed unto him, or to hazard his soul in danger of damnation. If the breach of God his law be not imputed to a Protestant, why should the transgression of the prince's decree? if he meet in the dark with the prince or his parliament, what soever he shall do with them, he will believe in Christ that it is not imputed: he w●ll cloa●e himself from the reign in the righteousness of the lamb, he will enlarge his conscience by the benefit of the glospell: and then what not? Let the Master dread the fingers of his servants, which have a faith, that nothing shall be imputed, have a tea●e to take away their sins, to make God smile upon them, whilst they play the knaves: and in sum let every honest man trust a Calvinian Protestant no farther than he seethe him: his faith hath a wide mouth, and will devour much: it is passing strong, and can break the very stone walls; it is in joy and mirth, and therefore if you grieve for him, he will lawghatt you: go he whither he will, he doth continually keep in his pocket a juggling box of an apprehending faith: an if he once lay hold on the justice of Christ, you may bid him good night, for he is sure enough. Such is the ish●u and resolution of the Protestantish hope. But of this matter I am to enlarge myself hereafter more particularly.   

The Catholic hope although surely grounded in the promises of God, and his grace, by our saviour Christ, yet it is adjoined to fear and dread of the divine judgements, so recommended in holy writ. But the hope Protestantish, enemy to such a fear, is a desperate presumption, and an arrogant refusal of all heavenly favour and benefit by the cross of our Redeemer.  
CHAPTER. XIX.  
THE virtue hope principally serveth the soul of man to that purpose, that whereas 
The use of hope.  sundry difficulties occur to give us the repulse and check in our best course for the attaining of heavenly bliss, as are the well known calamities of our fra●●e nature, the experienced sly and forcible machinations from outward tempters to evil; they ●ust and secret judgements of almighty God, discovered in in faith, to afford us encouragement to proceed in virtue from sin, and amidst all d●stresses to yield us that sweet breath of heavenly consolation for our refreshment and fortification And for that the object of our hope, if consideration be made of the quality of us poort miserable sinners and infirm labourers, that do expect that final joy and guerdon in heaven, includeth a great difficulty in the atcheivement of things hoped for, therefore Philosophy reposeth hope in that faculty of the soul, which is called tra●●●ble tha● is eff●caci us, fierce, and courageous in the accomplishment of hard and dangerous enterprises. So that when we regard this difficulty in our foreminded end as we hope assuredly in the mercies of God, so also do we fear 
council T●● S●ss 6.  and mistrust our own selves; hope and fear tempering and compounding on fortitude for the souls more profitable support. For as the ship by balase is strengthened against the waves, the  otherwise would make her fl●at, and yield to every billow, s● hath God provided, that his fear s●ould settle us in moderate humility, least sole confidence should break out into a presumptuous audaciousness, and ●●u●tie into a careless kind of security. Of which mixture ●f hope and fear, and as it were access and recess, e●● and flow of the soul, thus speaketh the Philosopher: It is necessaire that 
Arist ●. ●he●or.  those retain s●me hope of good, that are superprised with ●eare. and of this is an evident sign, that absoone as man his mind is troubled with ●eare, there entereth into cogitation a purpose to ta●e good counsel: but no man will deliberate his estate being desperate. And to the same 
Basil in Psa ●.  effect S. Basil elegantly by▪ sundry examples recountheth, how hope is still in action, where difficulties and adverse winds make for the contrary: as is seen in the traveller, in the seafaringman, in the tiler of the ground, in the soldier, who all ●n hope endeavour, when repugnant hindrances give just occasion of fear and dread. And for that an espiciall part of man his office doth consist in hope, Philo thereon doth infer that the Chaldeans called a man meetly Enos; that is one that expecteth good 
Philo lib. de Abraham. D. Thom. ●. a. 2.▪ q 17. ●● 1.  things, and sustanieth himself in a good hope. In deed h●pe as it reacheth out to the mercies of God, and reposeth therein, includeth no cause of fear, those mercies being still in flow and spring most abundant free and beneficial, yet in that we hope to gain our end not only by the mercies of God, but also by our faith, by our affiance, charity, repentance, and observance of the law, therefore it admitteth fear as companion, and that for our more sure and established direction He ●●at v●il have a good 
Augustin. in Psal. 31.  hope sayeth S. Augustine, let him have a good 〈◊〉: and that he may have a good conscience let him believe and work.  
2 And as there are sundry motives and inducementes to this holy and commodious 
Gauses of the fear of God.  fear, so there is no estate of man the which remaineth not benefited thereby. He that taketh acknouledgment of his sins through faith, and would feign asp●re ●o the grace of justice and pardon, in consideration of those eternal harms, the which are due to offences▪ hath most right and good cause to fear Where upon sayeth the wise man, He which is without ●●are, can not be justified. Again: The fear of God is the beginning of 
Eccles. 1.  wisdom Like wi●t the Prophett: From thy fear have we conceived and brought forth the 
Isa 26. Aug. tract. 9▪ joan. Tra. 40 ca●. 10 Quam multi●tus laudan● bl●sphem●tur▪ Matth 25. Matth. 12.  〈◊〉 of salvation. A ●●ste wholesome fear sayeth S. Augustine that produceth sanctity. So also those, which have attained justification, may pass on in virtue with the guardia●shipp of fear, in that such persons may dread with horror to commit any grievous trespass, knowing the punishment due thereunto here in this life to be the withdrawing of ●hat most potent, sweet, and desired grace, and after, the sufferance of hell fire eternally. Than furthermore when we consider, that God is not only merciful, but also just, and shall call to examine districtly each particular action, and several thought of our lives paste, appearing upon his judgement s●at with that majesty, as shall entrance and astonish the world, nature itself then to be in arms 
Luc. 21.  to execute his designs upon offenders, what urgent reason will press upon us for fear!  
3. But the hope of the Protestanter is sugared with the delights of Cyprus, and so delicate, 
The hope of the Protest●ter licentious  as it must not converse with any fear to be pricked or gored therewith; but rather in disport it is to mount to heaven with a full sail of assurance, and a pleasant breathing gale of self persuasion: A hope certes, utterly in opposition to the fear of God. In virtue of this hope, the Protestant assureth himself as certainly that he is just, predestinate, and that by any sin he cannot for the time to come fall from this happy estate of favour with God, as that God himself is: knowing hereby, that judgement in the later doom shall not pass against him in regard of his works, being all deadly sins, but according to the mercies of God, the justice of Christ apprehended by faith. Whereupon he feareth not sin as any occasion or cause to incur damnation; he trembleth not at the sight of God is justice, his secreett decrees, being ascertained of eternal bliss: he in view of his own life and comportement dreadeth not the examine, perfectly and undoubtedly understanding, that the judgement seat of God shall not call him to trial for any carriage of his own demeanour, but solely pronounce sentence in his favour for apprehending the promises of God through Christ his son. And whereas the holy scriptures make frequent mention of the fear of God▪ and his concealed dispositions, Caluin to no other sense interpreteth them, then that thereby we are admonished, to acknowledge God as author of all good in us, ●uacuatinge and debasinge our own abilities: so far would Calf keep himself and his from the acerbity of this most sovereign fear. Whereas 
Calu l. 3 Inst. c. 2. sect. 23.  sayeth he the Apostle teacheth that we work our salvation with fear and trembelinge, he requireth only that we humbling ourselves very profoundly, look upon the goodness of God. For this his pleasure of assurance, and avoy dance of all fear, he maketh his use of the testimony of the Apostele, Fear is not in charity: as if the just and charitable person 
1. joan. 4.  had no reason to fear,  
4. For trial now and exact discussion of the one hope, and the other; first be it 
Fear goodi● sinners aghasted the Protestant.  known, that the hope Catholic, proceeding from faith, in him whose sins are not yet remitted, seemeth passing pure and sacred: for our faith as it p●oposeth unto us this benefit of redemption, so also detecteth it the bad estate of our sins, the danger, that ensueth thereof, the necessity of our repentance, of our newness of life, of our mortification: disclosing also, that God in his most just judgement may debar from us the influence of his merciful grace, suffer sathan frequentage and prowerably to assail us with his temptations: and hereupon we conceive the greater hatred of sin, the very origen and source of all such woes. Fear sayeth S. Augustine 
Augu. ●p ●●●. How ●eare is seru●le and bad by reason of si●n and e●●ll ●ffection, to which it i● co●●led, is excellently declared by S▪ Augustin. Epist 144. Fear in the just aghasted the Protestant. Aug ●p●. 120. c 20 Denieth charity to expel that fear●, quo time● anima●ne am●●tat ipsam gratiam: by which the soul feareth▪ to lose▪ grace. Rom. 6.  entered once into our hearts, driveth away custom of ●uil works, preparing a place for charity, because that this, as it were the lady, entering may be seated, fear departeth. But the Protestant, as soon as his faith is present, he removeth therbie all argument of fear, knowing that although his sins remain, or shall hereafter press upon him in suarmes, yet that he is not to endure any loss by them; as if in sin he had innocency and indemnity from punishment in all liberty of behaviour Most impure and wicked hope.  
5 Moreover the Catholic hope of grace and salvation at the hands of almighty God, is actompanyed with fear, even in the just, and his dearest children. For although it were better to eschew sin by force of love and charity, then by any horror conceived of penalty, yet if such charity do fail in operation, and the forbidden pleasure prevail in suggestion as more potent and strong, and so cast us in ieopar die, that if the scourge and reu●nge of God were out of ou● m●ndes, we could be content against charity towards him to taste o● that forbidden delight, yet fear, as noteth S. Angustin, would hold the reinss, give the check, withdraw the will from such attempts, we benig assured, the rep●ie o● sin and fruits thereof to be the displeasure of God, and ou● own eternal damnation. Is not the just and most holy in continual danger to violate by concupiscence the law of God and nature, as to be unchaste, uncontinent, intemperate? and do not they know certatai●ly that such breaches o● pr●●crip▪ and decree giveth the soul a mortal wound, enradgeth God his justice against them, and finally rendereth them liable to hel●fier? Is there not then good cause of fear in this frailty to sin, in this misery of sin, in this providence of almighty God en●a●ed against the same? This fear was entertained by the holy Apostle: I fear, lest that when I have preached to others, I myself become a reprobate. A reason 
1. Cor. 9 Chr●●serm. 8. in cap. 2 ad Philip August ●p. 17. Creg● in job 2●. c. 90. Debet in spe esse non sol● securitas, sed etiam tim●▪ ●● convers' 〈…〉.  whereof yieldeth S. Chrisostome: If such things, as appertain to this life, without fear cannot will be acquired▪ how much less spiritual things? Also S. Augustine: The garment o● pr●c●●s with a greater fear preserved from sta●●e: the pearl bought with much gold is possessed in greatest sol●●●uae: and generally the greatest things ar●●ept with greatest ca●e: where upon that thou may●st will maintains thyself, thou oughtest continual●●e to think upon thy honour and 〈◊〉. Contrariwise the Protestanter w●ltereth in his wanton repose of a vain and imaginate hope, acertayning himself, that by no si●ne he can exclude his justice, or that a●●e sin●es in the decourse of his life shall be imputed unto him: He evidently seethe God to s●●le on him, and his sins not to be reckoned for such by the sentence of his judge. But is not this conceipit of hope brutish and licentious, is it not uncivil, and against all good society either betwixt subject and subject, or the subject and his prince? If the Potestanter be assured that no harm shall befall him for h●s adultery, his theft, his rebellion, then is not he any thing deterred from such facts, yea rather hereby animated to commit what concupiscensce shall design. Do he what he liketh, he seethe still God will not be displeased, Christ apprehended by faith serving for the concealment of his actions never so abominable: and as for human detriment, either he hath means to avoid it, or a strong heart to contemn it: and to neither feareth he God; man, or the devil. What good subjects than can be the Protestants by the very institution of this doctrine, holding all sin as not hurtful unto a believer, and not to give just occasion of any fear? Will charity always keep our Protestanter pure, and preserve him from iniquity, from violation of the laws of God, of his country, and Prince? surely it will not ●he confessing in himself the necessity of sin, the empire of sin, the continual transgression of the 
Witak. l 2 de peccat. ori. c. 3.  whole decalogue. What ensueth then, fear excluded, the ugly shapes of God his justice removed, but a liberty of sin, and a disport in all wickedness? What Prince can there be assured of subjection in any Protesta●ter, when the 〈◊〉 of God keepeth him not in a tenor of obe●sance▪ If he fear not God for sin, why should he fear his prince for pain? and if God as it were wink, and for a bore faith in Christ doth not behold the crime, or will not impute it, so also may the prince cover his eyes, and let all villainy pass without imputation. Than certes, would ou● Protestanter sing, ●o p●an, to triumpi●e O gospel of the Lord, and true freedom of the spirit! But ●●●her O hell of confusion, and dungeon of all extreme Antichristian calamity! ●f the Protestanter enter into account of those conditions, the which God hath appointed for the purchase of eternal life to wit of his faith, of his hope▪ charity, and observance of the law, shall he no● find in his reckoning occasion of fear? or doth he rely confidently on his own innocency, on his work, and cooperation with grace, as if it were most pure, absolute, and perfect? or rather doth he not think, that how soever he hath lived and behaved himself, yet by faith in the promises of God to obtain ●uerlastinge glory? O refuge into a sink of turpitude, to divert and shun the puncture and corr●siue of a sacred fear! Verily if we merely respect the mercies of God, there is no reason of fear: yet if we take a scantling of our own faith, of our hope, charity, and living accordingh to God his law, we may with right good reason fear: unless the Protestanter to discard this fear, deemeth it sufficient to salvation to rely on the sole mercies of God, howsoever in action and endeavour he behave himself. This this is there true sacrifice to the Gods Clo●●●na, and the Protestanth abuse of Christ his cross, for the performance of all libertine intentes. But ancient Tertullian was f●rre of an other sense, admitting our Catholic fear, as a preservative against the Putrefaction of sin, as myrrh to keep the soul from decay of corruption: It is more 
Tertull. li. de cultu sae●. ●. d● pani● August li 11. C●● cap 12. judgements of God causes of fear. Ag●●● 2. Matth. 24. Io●● 3. Luc. ●.  profitable, we think, that we may sin: for so thinking we shall sa●● ourselves: For who can tell▪ with out a special revelation, assuredly, as teacheth S Augustine, that he is predestinate, and that by sin he shall not lose finally his justification and salvation?  
6. When Catholics upon the recognizance and meditation of the judgement of almighty God at the latter day, deduce most pregnant and forcible arguments of fear, considering the port and majesty, which shall bear that chief judge and Lord; all creatures in his ●etinue ready pressed to execute his decrees: I shall move sayeth he, ●eauen and earth, the sea and the land. The sun shall be darckenned and the moo●e shall not give her light: Men witheringe again for fear and expectation of those things, which shall befall the world. That day sayeth the Prophet Sophonias shall be a day of tribulation and 
Sopho●●. 〈◊〉.  anguish, calamity am● misery, a day of dar●●●nesse and blackness, a day of mist▪ and wh●●le▪ wind, a day of the triumpett, and ●on●ding upon the defenced cities, and upon the h●●h 〈◊〉 ners. And as the same stone that sharpine●h the steel, can break the edge, the same sun that now shineth, covereth after the earth with a sable mantel of vapours, the same meats that maintain life, intemperately taken destroy it, so the good●es of God through our saviour Christ as it is beneficial, ●o cause also to aggravate men's sins▪ to e●●ierce divine i●stice against offenders In which respect ou● 〈◊〉 Ch●ist, once so mild a lamb for sacr●fi●e, shall ●e his father's substitute a●d u●ge or just revenge on those, that have in their lives empeach●d his honour and 〈◊〉 Therefore sayeth S. Augusti●e: He shall come to judge with great power, because 〈◊〉 was 
Augustin i● Psal ●7.  on●● judged with great humility. But the Protestanter in his hope hath nothings to regard in God of terror: Not not, his faith looketh upon a God smiling in ●auour to wa●●es him, and in deed regardeth him is no judge, but as sole benefactor: and it doth nothing concern him what preparance is made for his judgement, as daunted with the form of the judge in majesty, the horror of nature, and trembling of Angels, the defects of s●nne and moon, the sh●uering of the earth, the motion of the sea, the 
Luc 21.  falling of starts: he is cockesure in his faith: God to him is not clad ●n fiery purple colour of justice, but rather in show of delight, of dalliance, and as it were the banquetter 
Basi serm. de judicio.  attending his guests. O sugar, oh fit morsel for a ●oole, ag●wgaw, and the lure of the devil, to draw bus●ardes into the kitchen of hell and Antichrist!  
7. Now if we make a view of the th●nges, for which we accountable shall endure 
Fear in respect of ou●● actions.  examine and search from God himself, that is the universal behaviour of our souls and bodies, implying every thought, every desire, and each several action, have we not urgent and important matter of fear, when, as speaker S Basill: I● si etiam iust● 
Hasil orat de judicio. de hom. dig.  tr●p●d● & anxij pro sententia, quae tanaem prosere●ur: the just them ●lus shall remain ●earfull, and be perplexed, attending what sentence shall be denounced? Which consideration made Ezechias to say. I will call to mind in dolour of my soul all my years past▪ and holy David: O lord remember not the sinne● of my youth, nor my ignorance's▪ From my errett sins, O lord, 
Isa 38. Psal. 24. Psal. 18. Ecclesiast. 5. Sophon. 1.  cleanse me, and from others spare thy servant. Yea the wise man giveth this Counsel: Be not without ●eare about thy sin forgiven thee. And God to express the quality of his enquierie even towards the just, sayeth: I will search Jerusalem with lanters: fire, and light, instruments of the bench: the one to discover, the other to punish. Whereupon S Bernard Wat shall in Babylon be safe, if in Jerusalem bemade a s●rut●●●e: if the just man 
Bernard. se●. 55. in Cant.  shall s●arce besaved, where shall appear the sinner! what will she planches do, when the pillars shall shak●! From this cogitation in the Catholic doth proceed a watchful care to live a virtuous life, believing that sentence shall pass on all according to their works. And as the Egyptians, as speaketh Rod●ginius, knowing, 
Rodigin. lib. 2. cap. ●.  that after their deaths question should be moved of their manners, and accordingly their body●s either decently to be buried, or cast contemptibly away upon the dunghill, endeavoured to deserve by good actions their desired funerals, so we in contemplation of God his judgement, and sequel thereof, that is either damnation eternal, or everlasting joy, buckle ourselves to all good endeaours, to gain our expected beatitude The Protestanter neither at this will fear, it being ordinarily in his mouth, and thought, that God will not judge him according to his works, deserts, or defects, but only according to his mercies apprehended by Christ in faith. For in view of his works, he confesseth, that no thing occurreth to his cogitation, but distrust, but desperation, but horror and perplexity of a turmoy led conscience: But when once with faiths piercing ●y he looketh on Christ, then is he in security, in repose, in the harvest ca●te for the barn of heaven: in that in Christ he hath kept the law, although broken it: in Christ he obtaineth iustifiacation, and in the midst of millions of deadly sins procureth that they be not imputed. But we will cast a scruple or two in to the dish of our delicious banqueting Protestanter, who still singeth and carolleth in security, and try how he can digest a little horse bread, after his fine manchet. I can not imagine, that the Protestanter in the midst of his mirth expecteth salvation in heaven mee●ly by the mer●yes of God and his promises without all respect to his own deportement; for so their should appear no reason why God should not as well save all, as one, a turk, as a Protestanter; in that the mercies of God are general to mankind. Whereupon at the lest the Protestanter must make his reckoning in verve and quality of his faith apprehendingh the justice of Christ. Wherefore in regard of sole faith, in his account doth not the Protestanter find and experience that there be many which pretend to have the same faith he chalendgeth, and yet are vainly deceived, as the Anabap●ister, and others? And why then may he not fear, that when his faith shall be applied to the touchstone, cast into the balance of God his judgement, it may be found conterfeite 
job. 9  and too light? And if holy job, so replenished with inspirations from God, dreaded all his works, may not a Protestanter fear his o●ne endeavour in the work of faith? Moreover the Protestanter is not ignorant, that part●e the corruption of man his nature, and partly the malice of sathan doth assail offentimes this faith with distrust and infidelity; and than what revelation hath the Protestanter, that he in this respect hath absolutely performed his duty, believed as he aught, and is requisite to justification; neither that in his life he hath yielded to any temptation of incredulity? furthermore it is flat against holy writ, yea the ver●e nature of divine providence, that men shall be judged only for their faith, and not for their works universally. O lord sayeth David just art thou, and thou rend●●●st to every one according to his works▪ 
joan 5. Matth. 25.  And doth not our saviour tell us, that those, which do w●ll, shall be saved, and those which have done evil shall be damned? saved for deeds of charity, in giving to Christ in his members meat and drink, in visiting him; damned for neglect and refusal of such good offices▪ And those which have done good deed's, shal● proceed to resurrection of life: those which have done evil to resurrection of judgement. Also seeing that saith 
●●e. 12.  maketh the sins of men the greater, and more odious to God, in that they be facts of those, which by faith know the will of their eternal father, and yet break and violate his laws, and so worthy of many str●pes, it concerns the providence of almighty God to chastise such offences, and that with eternal damnation, if not retracted and canceled by repentance. For seeing that God hath formished man his 
Luc. 2●.  nature with divers faculties as well of body as soul, it appertaineth to him to take account of all their actions, yea as he sayeth, of every idle word, and not only to discuss one sole office and function of the understanding, to wit faith and infidelity. Moreover this hope Protestantish is flat● Epicurisime, Gnosticisme, Puritanisme, condemned so highly by antiquity: for if only faith and infidelity must appear at the bar, what need men care what else they do? a thief in belief is quit before repentance in th●s sort, a breaker of God his laws in faith is his dutiful servant. But if reckoning be to be made according to o●r works, that is temperance, justice, continence, religion, mortification, charity, penance, then presenteth itself nothing to us but fear, in that every man never so faithful sinneth in all forts of crimes to the violation of the whole decalogue; and therefore according to the Protestant, that a man may cast a side fear, also he may abandon all care of life and action O Brutish presumption of a loathsome hope! is this Christianity, thus for grimed co●●ers to presume to aspire to the court of heaven, and by only faith face out the justice of God, and press among the troops of his saints and innocentes! Fie filthy protestancy, fie.  
7. But behold the Protestant thus argueth for his dripping pann, and beastly 
How fear is not in charity 1. joan. 4.  Puritanisme. Fear is not in charity, as the text sayeth: therefore just and charitable persons neither fear God, man, nor the devil. An argument certes of a most resolute and hardy Protestant, fit to be captain in the hottest war: he feareth neither the power in heaven, nor the malice in hell: butt thinking on the bastonado, o● gallows, he trembleth. A semblable argument: gold is not in silver, therefore he that hath silver hath no gold. Truth it is, that charity in her act and operation includeth not fear; in that ●t worketh by a contrary motive for love, and not in dread of any pain: although yet in respect of the person, in whom is charity, may with the same charity consist fear: I mean a holy fear remaining for ever, as speaketh David. And 
Psal. 18. 1. joan. 4.  whereas the Apostle sayeth, that charity expelleth fear, it is to be understood, in regard of the servility and slavery of fear: in that charity maketh man the child of God, and so not to work for fear of pain out of an outward disposition, but in a filial 
Rom 8. Gall 4.  kind of affection towards almighty God our sovereign parent: yet who, all though in charity, seareth not the dangers of this life, so propences and liable to sin? who feareth not the malice and slight of Satan so bent to seduce us by sin? Who feareth not the secret, just, and searcheing judgements of almighty God, to proceed against sinners, if he have but the common sense of Christianity in his mind and soul? Caluin confesseth, that in man his conscience are so many secret corners, in them to be concealed so many covert designementes, that men in all respects do not thoroughly know themselves: how then must fear be exiled, that reckless m●rth brought in by Antichrist, may by a banquet of a justifying faith dissolve in an Epicurean delight the soul from God almighty, and the body from all civility? Patiented job speaking of the wisdom of almighty God, creating the world, maketh this demand: who set the measure thereof if thou ●now? or who stretched out the line upon it, S. Gregory 
job 38.  discoursing of the building of heavenly Jerusalem, by occasion of that passage, thus writeth; ●et no man presume of himself any thing▪ whilst he dreadeth the secret judgements of 
Grego. in job lib. 28. cap. 9  God: but beholding above the incomprehensible measures and lines draven out, by so much the more he is to remain in the humility of fear, by how much the more clearly he beholdeth all things to depend on the power of the measurer. Whereupon in this trial is made manifest, how perverse, audacious, and impu●e is the pretended hope Protestantish, so estranged and strained from the fear of God, yea so in opposition and fight against that sure defence and munition of our good estate.   

Catholic hope by contrition for sins committed, and also by the love of God above all things, as due dispositions, expecteth the grace of justification: whereas the Protestanter by the quality of his justifying faith, disannulleth the necessity of them, their use or practice.  
CHAPTER. XX.  
CONTRITION for sins, as offences against the divine majesty, and also love 
Faith the cause of charity.  of that infinite perfection and goodness in almighty God above allthinges, have their issue and origen from faith, diuers●lie opening unto us the intelligence of 
Council Trid. Sess. 6. ca 6. Sess. 14. c. 4.  heanenlie verties. For as teacheth us the sacred Council of Trent, when faith in a certain knowledge of understanding, layeth before the eyes of an offendant the turpitude and deformity of sin, as not oneley a blemish to nature, but also an injury against God, so beneficial unto the party delinquente, a contempt of his unspeakable kindness, 
Ista scientia bonae sp●●ho min● se non 〈◊〉, sed lamentantem fac. ● Aug de Doctr. Christ lib. 2 cap. 6. W●at is cō●tition.  in preferring some base and momentary pleasure before h●s sacred will and commandment, than the mind so informed, procureth that the heart in view of such a spectacle, as of the sacking and burning of Jerusalem, grieve, repent, and in earnest desire of recompense hate and detest all offences, as they be in opposition to God his mercies, and fullness of all his one excellency and sovereignty. Wherhfore by this contrition we entreat of, is not understood whatsoever hate and detestation of sin, as if one shoule defy and dislike the same, as 'cause of some wordelie endamagement by infamy or penalty, or as a means to fall into hell fire, but such a particular hatred and grief rather, as detesteth sin, in as much as contrary to the friendship with God, to this 
What is Charity.  sanctity, to that goodness which aboundeth in his infinity. By charity towards God almighty, we understand that affection of spirit, the which embraceth God, the chiefest god and that for himself; and therefore respectively is it termed in holy scriptures, 
joan. 5.  friendship betwixt God and man; whereupon exclude we from out the compass of this virtue, such love, as affecteth God one he as beneficial unto any, or as a means of an escape, to avoid thereby his justice, and due punishments: accepting in this kind Solely of the pure and sincere love of him, when he is beloved for himself, as the chiefest and supremest good. And although ordinarily we destinguishe charity by these two acts and functions, to wit contrition, and love of God above all things, 
Contrition is joined to the love of God.  yet the school doth inform us, th●t contrition, or true and perfect repentance, is properly an act of charity, and includeth in itself the love also of almighty God An example is apparent in one, that lamenteth for any loss o● 〈◊〉, that is 〈◊〉 to his friend, bewailing the casuality for his love, in as much as contrary to that good of his friend, the which he doth so decrel●e tender: In which case a centaine mixture should meet and occur of sorrow and love So likewise when a●●e offender, reputing his trespass displeasant and repugnant to God, and to that amiable goodness in him, as he mourneth in dolour for his one offence, so doth he in love embrace that 
Matth: August. in. Psa. 127.  high perfection. In regard whereof S. john, that famous preacher of repentance, was feed with wild hon●e, where with the delight of liquor, was tempered the acerbity of the savage soil, in which it was found. And as from the brackish seas have race the sweet streams, so from the corrosive of contrition, floweth the pleasure of love and kind affection: Just as the book eaten by the Prophet Ezechiell 
Ezech. 3.  contained the verse of jubilee, and the sigh or scriche of lamentation. Which combination and temperature of grief and delight, is proper to this estate of our lives, in heaven being found only joy without all sorrow, in hell sorrove entire devoid of comfort, and in earth we participating of both in one repentance. Sweet a●d most 
Theodore in 3. cap. Ezech. Contrition and charity dispositions to justification Luc. 13. ●●cles. 12.  pleasant, saith Theodoretus, is the bewailing of sins That these two actions and endeavours, to wit contrition, and charity, are due preparements in the soul of a sinner, to obtain the grace of justification and pardon, the Scriptures do evidently witness and approve: Unless you do penance, sayeth our Saviour, you shall all perish. Than before repentance, the soul yet is in quality and estate of Damnation, and hath not attained the forgiveness of sins. Whereunto appertain all such passages of holy writ, as 〈◊〉 sinners to 〈◊〉 cheer and sorrow promising thereunto remittance of sins. The wicked man▪ if he shall do penance, shall be saved. Do ye penance, and be every one of you baptised. This repentance, sayeth Tertullian, shall lift thee out of the waters, 
Ezech. 1●. Act. 2. Tertull. li. do poen. cap. 4. Cyprian de coepa. Basi. serm. de vir. &. vit. Amb exhort. ad L●p. Senec. Agem. 240. luc. ●. Augustin. in Enchir c. 117. l 2 count Crescon. cap. 16. lib. 2. de peccator me●i●. cap. 8. de great. Christi ca 30. tract. 7. in Io. cap ●. tract. 9 c. 2. Tract. 32. ca 7. tract. 74. c. 14. Ber. ser. 27. in Can. & 29. 2. Cor. 13. Why is contrition, and charity necessarre to for givenes of sins. Men justified by Baptism may after be incontinent 1 Cor. 12. Augu ep. 108. D. Thom. 1. 2. q. 113. ar. 5. Council Trid. Sess. 6. ca 6. Aug ser. 7. de Temp. Chry. de cor dis compunctione. in Psa. 50. Dispositions to justification  and carry thee to the haven o● God has clemency and mercy. As often ●n, saith S. Cyptian, as I s●e thee sighing before our Lord so often doubt I not but that thou art inspired by the Holy shost: when I behold thee weeping, I perceive God pardoning thy offence. Take hold strongly, admonisheth S. Ambrose, on repentance, as having made ship wrache, catch at repentance, as at a bord● sloating, hoaping thereby to be delivered from the depth of perdition and sin: Quem paenitet peccasse, poene est innocens.  

Who doth for sin in heart lament,  
From sin departs half innocent.   
Likewise that charity and the love of all mighty God is a disposition for justification and remission of sins, the same scriptures do avouch. To Marry Magdalene were forgiven many sins, Because she loved much. We are translated, sayeth Saint john, from death to life, because we love our brethren. Charity sayeth Saint Augustine, the which the Apostle affirmed to be greater than ●aith, or hope, by how much it is in higher degree found in any, by so much is he the better in whom it is found. For when it is demanded, whether on be a goodman or not, it is not inquired whether he believe, hopeth or not, but what he loveth. For he that loveth aright, certainly believeth and hopeth aright: but he that loveth not, doth believe in vain, although those things be true, the which he believeth. To no purpose doth he hope, although he understand such things as he hopeth for to appertain to true felicity, unless he believe and hope for that the which may be given him, demanding it to the end he may love the same. S. Bernard also, declaring the greatness and excellency of this virtue charity, sayeth; The quantity of every man his soul, is to he esteemed according to the measure of charity, which it hath: as for example, if it have a great deal of charity, it is a great soul, and that which hath a little, a little soul: that which hath none, according to the Apostle is nothing, If I have not charity. I am nothing. Which thing importing the necessity of repentance and charity to obtain the grace of justification and pardon, is also evidently deduced from reason Theological and from the very natures of the thinghs themselves. For in that sin was committed first by act of will, choosing pleasure before almighty God, preferring one before the other in love and affection; seeing moreover that the will is the seat and subject of sin haroouring the same, as a faculty principally offending, therefore before pardon and justification, this will is to be reform by repentance, by a contrary love, and so to satisfy for the former misdemeanure, that the soul may be justified. Which mutation of will in a sinner, the angelical Doctor excellently well reposeth in two things, that is, in a departure frow sin, and in an approaching to God The will than departeth from sin, when it griveth at the same, when by hatred and detestation it doth sequester and witheraw itself from so harmful a deformity and detriment: than it approacheth to God, when it converteth itself by charity and affection unto almighty God, as fountain of all goodness, mercy and benevolence: which assured repentance, saith S. Augustine, nothing doth make, but the hate of sin, and love of God.  
3. That faith, hope, charity, and repentance, are due preparementes to the sacrifice of a sinful soul by the grace of justification, is very properly signified by such ceremonies which in the old law by almighty God his appointetance where specified: to wit when in the sacrifice of A read cow of full age, wherein is no blemish, and that hath 
Num. 16.  not carried yo●e, should be immolated; wood also of the cedar, and hyssop, and scalrett 
Grego. li. 6. in job cap. 25. in cap. 5. Act. 15. 1. Pet. 1.  twice died shall the priest cast into the flame that wasteth the cow, which wood of cedar, hissop, and scarlet, by S. Gregory most elegantly are thus understood: that the purging hyssop signifieth a purifying humble faith according unto the Apostle S. Peter: cedar wood our hope incorruptible, as speaketh the same Apostle: and scarlet our burning Charity.  
4. The Protestant, although by course and bend of his main doctrine about 
The Protestant in show teacheth repentance.  faith only justifying, whilst it apprehendeth the justice of Christ, doth abolish all use, service, or necessity of contrition, repentance, and charity, either to justification or salvation; yet notwithstanding in that the holy scriptures avouch the contrary, preach, prescribe and exhort nothing ofter, and more effectually than repentance, and charity; and for that it seemeth likewise in all overture and appearance to be turpitude of liberty and bestiality in that opinion, the which should directly deny the practice of such virtues, in outward show of words, seemeth to exact them both to justification, and also salvation. So Caluine pronounceth, that to be the True conversion of 
Calu. l 3 Inst. cap. 3 sect. 5. ●arl. Conf.  men's lives to God, the which ariseth from the sincere fear of God, the which is composed of mortification of our flesh, and of the old man, and vivification of the spirit. To which purpose also, at the Conference in Hampton Court, when a certain minister, of late superintending, declared to his majesty his opinion, that he thought that heinous crimes did expulse out of the soul the grace of justification, his majesty approved the same, and added, that such sins were not after forgiven neither by only faith before repentance. Than for that the just after justification oftentimes fall in to sins, Caluine thus defineth of the fear of God in them, and of repentance. When man beginneth to think, that God shall once mount up to his tribunal seat, there to take account of all his sayings 
Calui 3 Insti. cap. 3. Sect. 7  and de●des, such cogitation will not suffer the wretched man to be quiet, nor to take breath for a moment of time but will ●●ge him to purpose a newkinde of life, that securely he may appear before the judgement seat. The Lutherishe Protestanter, making no other reckoning 
The Lutheran. denieth penanc●.  of repentance, and charity, than of the works of the law, holdeth that without them, and before them, one may be justified by only faith, and then also saved by virtue 
Scluiessel. ar. de fide.  of sole faith, in want of them in the very moment of death. And truly this doctrine is evidentdlie consequent from that, which all Protestanters hold of a justifying faith, apprehending the promises of God, as hereafter shall be declared. Not works, saith one, before believing hellpe to justification. If so Sir; then I pray you, what need of 
Geor. Abb. ad ● Rat D. Hill. pag. 308.  charity and repentance? Doth your charity and repentance go before faith justifying, or come after in a read coat? If before, then are they not available to that purpose, by your own words: If after; then in that faith solely justifieth, charity and repentance are not needful preparations to justification. How then true, that ministers ordinarily say, that for one to be justified from sin, in this order concur these virtues; 
Augu. De Fid. & ope●. ca 15. Abbot will not wear the hair cloth, nor the Coote of S. Benn●●. Fructus autem totus charitas sine qua nihil est homo, quicquid aliud habuerit. Aug tra. 7. in johan. A m● strange lie Saved. Ne sibi quisqu● de fide, quae sine op●●ib●s mortua, protuitt●t ●ternam vit●. Augu. de Fid. & oper. ca 25. Necessity of Repentance. Chrys. ho. in illud Psalm. Ne timueritis Boetius lib 4. Phil. Prosa. 3. & Metro. 3. Paulin epi. 4. Ephrem. li. de poen. Leui● 6. Psalm. 50. Gen. 22. Claud. in Phoe nice: Num. 65.  first contrition, than faith in the Promises? So now we have an Abbot, I pray God not a lubber, that will be justified without repentance and charity by a dead faith: will he be also stripped to his shirt, yea remaining as bore and poor as a shotten herring; without works, without virtue, without honesty, without repentance, and charity, attain likewise to salvation? Marry will he, and buy that heavenly pearl with his three farthings, or a flattering baubee after his pilgrimage: Believing actually a man is reputed just before God: and that if he die immediately, having no time to work, yet he by believing is justified, if justified, also saved. How then is a man no thing according to S. Augustine without charity?  
5 The Catholic, whether he consider sin committed as a thing contrary to nature, or a trespass against almighty God, ministereth to himself in contemplation abundant matter of grief and contrition. Sin he beholdeth as a deformity, an odious stain of nature's perfection, ●nd a mere imitation of brutish life in a reasonable soul, as remark. Saint Chrysostome, and Boetius: the making also of an Idol of some vile creature, thereunto ●n service to depute all endeavours of the life, and as it were the working in a m●lle, where man, as an ho●se, is at the commandry of vile sensuality, as telleth us devout Panlinus. Against which harm of sin, and for expulsion thereof, we have the sovereign remedy of repentance. Once the old la, saith S. Ephren, had the sprinkling of ashes; but we now retain the mortification of penance: Than where they purged by ashes, but we eating our bread as ashes, are delivered from all offences. Moreover we considering almighty God to detest sin, to strive against it in us by his holy inspirations, by his gracious Sacraments, by his divine laws, by his benefits of creation, of conservation, of justification, of redemption, especially by the death of his only Son upon the Cross, by so many pangs of bitter dolour, so many drops in agony, so many tears of complaint, so much blood of cruel entreaty, must needs lament to have offended so kind a benefactor. Whereupon we think of a sacrifice of the soul delinquent upon the Altar of a contri●e heart to be offered up to God in satisfaction for the offence. Isaac must in us endure a deadly blow from repentance, and bear on his shoulders the fuel of his own sins. The Penitent must devise a furnace by whose flames he is to be purified from sin; and the spices of good meditations must be prepared to burn the aged Phoenix, that after ensuing life of grace may work the repair.  

Victurs cineres, nullo Cogente moveri  
Incipiunt; plamaquerudem restire favillam.  
The ashes dead ordained for life,  
Not moved, do move by nature's force:  
And ●inders rude for flight make strife  
Attired in plume, as living corpse.   
6. Whereas contrariwise the Protestant hardeneth his heart, neither taking sin for 
Sin not any matter o● repentance by the Protestant.  any offence, o● his Redeemer notably injuried there by. He reckoneth sin, as a fact of natural necessity, and so not culpable, rather to be pitied by an other, than deplored by ourselves: a disease and casualty of a depressed soul through fate and extremity of event by Adam his sin. Why then shoule he deem nature disordered by such default, or God justly offended, sithence the decree of God hath despoiled mankind of original justice, and left therein, yea cast thereon a poise and weight of sensuality, disfurnished of all grace and possibility to the contrary, and also concurreth himself by his own action and will to the fact of sin? Who will weep at 
Augu. tra. 6. in johan. cap. 1.  such a loss, but he that with the loss of virtue hath lost his wits? None certes in this tenor of conceit must mourn as Christian turtles, but fools, in that sin, if it be enforced upon any by necessity, and by the work of God, is not dispraiseable, is not damnable, or the party offendant thereby is justly to be reproached. Doubtless the Protestant in his conversasion to almighty God after sin rather resembleth the creking crow, than the dolorous Dove: for as noteth S. Augustin, the Dove sigheth in love. Neither is it a thing of small moment, that the Holy Ghost doth teach us to f●ighe; seeing welive in pilgrimage and thereupon are taught to fight for our country, and with desire of it, to sigh for want thereof: But the Protestantish heretic for a dove hath the carrion crow. The voice of the crow sayeth S. Augustin is clamoro●se, not dolorous: and heretics vaunt of themselves in great voices: whereby it appeareth that they are crows not Do●●s.  
7. Let us now examine what room and place the Protestanter according to his 
Repentance taken away by the Protestant before faith justifying.  own principles of art, can afford to contrition and repentance. If unto this charitable dolour he shall give admittance, either he must grant it to go before his justifying ●aith, or to follow the same, as the effect doth the cause. If in regard of faith it have the precedency, then is man justified not by only faith, but also by his work of repentance, by the law, in that such repentance is a disposition to justification, and so the material cau●e thereof: as for example, in framing of man, the dispositions of nature are cause, why the body is after animated with a soul; against the bulk of their own faith and religion: denying in that sense any to be justified by their works, because so graced by only faith, and that before such, nothing thereunto is available or requisite. Than if repencance go before a instifying faith, in that such repentance is the proper action of charity, as hath been declared, charity shall go before faith, which is most absurd, and also contrary to the Scriptures, that ascribe justification 
Ezech. 18. joc.. 22.  to the very moment of an hearty contrition, and so it must justified before faith, and without it, if it enter the soul before the same. Moreover the Protestanter is of opinion, that all the works of man are indeed mortal sins, and displeasant to almighty God: only adorned, and so not reputed, but rather taken as righteous, by the presence of the justice of Christ apprehended by faith: the which alone, as Caluine saith, imparteth a sweet odour unto them, otherwise bad, vicious and damnable. Whereupon doth●t ensue, that if repentance and contrition be entertained in the soul before a justifying faith, then is such contrition and repentance not only in fact a mortalland deadly sin, but also taken in that form by almighty God, seeing that is in the soul before faith, the which justifieth, and apprehendeth the justice of Christ to pardon it and amend it. But it is extreme blasphemy to term the action of charity, a gift of the holy Ghost, a deadly sin, and so by God esteemed; or to affirm, that God doth exact of a sinner that endeavour, which is a mortal sin, and in that sense 
No repentance after faith by the Protestanter.  also as imputed, and to be judged by himself not pardoned: then is there no place for repentance and contrition before faith by the Protestanters own Doctrine. After faith neither is there any conveniency for the entertainment of repentance: first for that the holy Scriptures and Fathers advertise us, that repentance and contrition are necessary dispositions requisite to the forgiveness of sins, and so must not follow that faith, the which of itself doth justify, but rathe● is to have the precedence. Than 
Devotion of the 〈◊〉.  ●● repentance come after a justifying faith, the cause and motive to that dolour and grief is thereby clean abolished: for in that such faith worketh the pardon of sin, either whilst it is in act, or after, and seeing the Protestant moste certainly is assured by the same faith, that his sins are thereby already remitted, that he is just, and that no offence or breach of God or nature's law can work him any hurt, being a faithful and a justified person even in the actual offence and transgression of them; thereupon he knoweth, that it is bootless and vain, to grieve at sin, to weep for the same, to fear any thing after the conscience of what soever bad action, or to dread the judgements of God, in that faith hath allreddie exiled and remitted them, and procured that they never were imputed. What good then, what commodity, by repentance, by contrition? It availeth not against sins committed, being otherwise assoiled by faith: It satisfieth not for any temporal detriment remaining, as is confessed, it meriteth not a reward in heaven, as is acknowledged: Than is by the doctrine Protestantishe avoided with fear of God repentance, contrition, grief and sorrow, yea charity itself, in that such contrition is a principal work thereof. O strange faith of a Protestant, that eateth and beateth out chat●tie, the primary virtue of the Gospel, and of Christianity! O devout faith, expelling the fear of God, disposed only to mirth and security in the Lord, and to eschew all corrosive from a lamenting and mournful bewailing in repentance! Why should a Protestant repent, knowing by revelation from fa●th, that he is before repentance the child of God, that his sins are forgiven him; that he never can by any sin for the time to come loose his justice, and that if he should dye now before repentance and charity towards God and man, yet he shoule be saved in heaven: and so of the three Christian virtues, faith, hope, and 
1. Cor. 13.  charity, wanting this the principal, as defineth the Apostle, to be blessed, and in felicity by a dead  faith, separated from charity, from actual removal of the will from sin, yea coupled to all manner of sins not imputed, to pass into heaven, and press up there to the crown of glory▪ Fie, fie, loathsome faith and religion, unworthy to be beaten by the style of any learned writer. By the same argument the Prosta●t taketh away all occasions likewise and necessirie of charity towards God or man, of reconcilement with his neighbour before he come to the Altar, in that only 
Matt. 5.  faith justifieth one that hatch his brother, yea one who blasphemeth God, at least one that before hath committed such heinous crimes is justified from them by only faith, before due love returned to God blasphemed, or his neighbour injuried: and if such a v●rlet should decease without actual charity, yet so blasphemous a wreck, so cruel and inhuman a barbarian, is to be saved by his only faith. Yea moreover that charity towards God and man, is not always a necessary effect of faith, ●he Protestant can not deny; in that as David did, so do many Protestants with their justifying faith, trespass against charity, and yet if they shoule decease in that bad fact against charity, surprised suddenly by death, notwithstanding in virtue of a faith remaining, that these, that traitor that varlet, that ribald, that impious dog, should mount to heaven, 
Matth. 22.  and without his wedding gearment have a place there at the table, in the supreme kingdom of almighty God. O vile, sacrilegious, barbarous, and loathsome faith Protestantish! So than it app●eareth in consequence, that if rial be made of this difference betwixt the Catholic and the Protestant by the rule of the virtue of hoped charity, in that the Catholic establisheth the same, and giveth it a convenient place in the soul of man, ministereth many fit occasions to procure the same, contrariwise the Protestanter debarring it of it proper room, and casting aside all due motives thereunto, is to be censured as an enemy of that virtue, and so of Christ jesus and his Gospel; 
1. Tim. 2.  the perfection, consummation and end of christianity butting upon charity, and so upon all the virtues; in that charity is the end of the law, and a virtue that fulfileth the same. diversly the Protestant doth infested this eminent and sacred virtue of 
How the Protestant is enemy to charity.  charity: First against the same frameth he his confused and hell●th forcies, prescribing no other rule of faith, than the word privately by a spirit understood: Whereupon do arise diversities of opinions in sacred and mystical affairs, every spirit in supremacy, not controuleable, expounding as it shall fancy. From hence hath offspring dissensions, alienations of minds, departures, and in fine hostility, fire and flames of rebellion, of wars, of blood and massacres, to the utter ruin of charity and exclusion thereof. Than he rendereth fruitless and unprofitable the charity of contrition and repentance, the charity of affection towards God and man, as hath been entreated; not so much as exacting to the estate of justification the presence of charity, whilst he confesseth, that a just man in act of sin without repentance, is secured by faith from annoy: that the child of God through faith may with David murder his brother or friend, and not only without charity, but in arms and defiance against the same, yet justified; and if in that case he should decease, to enjoy heaven, as competent inheritor thereof. Under what colour is persuaded and upheld this villainy 
Colourable heresy and wickedness. lud. 1.  against charity? By this: in that they pretend the inward spirit and illumination of God, for their direction in matters of faith, and no human support or warranty that they accept no justice of works, of virtues, of contrition, of charity, of satisfaction, but only the justice of Christ apprehended by faith. This is the gloze, the foam, the mask, speciem quidem pretatis habentes, retaining a show of piety: But what is the issue and the ●uent? 〈◊〉 eius obnegantes: they deny in work and violate all power, verity and substance of that heavenly virtue, whilst they avile charity, debarring it from the place of a disposing quality to justification, separating it from the grace of justification; and so in charity, mother of all the virtues, that keepeth the law, in charity remarked, especialle by the Gospel, disannul all honesty, all integrity of life, all ornaments of action, sleeping in an idle security of a dughill and abominable pretended faith; a faith I say, that is the bait and lure of the devil to draw men to all enormity of impurity, to make a Christian inferior to a turk or infidel, yea worse than a beast, and little better than a devil.  
8. Which thing as it seemed to be discovered by his majesty at a conference in 
The necessity of repentance avouched killeth the life of the Protestantish Religion.  Hampton court about Religion, this question falling by chance into the altercation about other disputes, as concerning the necessity of repentance, the forgiveness of sins, pronounced first, that certain gross and great sins do expel from out the soul the grace of justification: then that only faith did not justify and purge a man from the guilt of such crimes before contrition and repentance: by which two positions he broke the very bones and marrow of the Protestantish religion, and killed the soul and life thereof: and in that almost all controversies betwixt the Catholic and Protestant depend on the opinions of justification, in them all he determined for us against the Protestant; especially against Luther and Caluine, two enemies of virtue, two hellish heretics, who by the word of a Gospel, and a feigned faith seeming to magnifiie Christ, labour in deed to bring in Epicurism among Christians; the old filthy Gnosticisme of the Puritans: and in some all excrements, either of a decayed nature, or of an ugly and malicious fiend. If justice be lost by the more heinous trespasses, as by adultery, by fornication, by robbery, then is there no such faith true and lawful, whereby the Protestanter believeth his sins not to be imputed, or crediteth the promises of God in the Gospel, and so falsely taketh himself by the same faith to be justified, in that every such offender is not before his bad fact an Infidel, one that hath expelled his justifying faith, or in aversion from the Gospel discreting the promises therein contained, as common sense teacheth: for so none should sin but infidels. Wherhfore if a justifying faith remain, then is not iustiee lost by 
The down fall of protestancy.  such offences; or else as importeth the doctrine of his majesty, there is no such faith that justifieth, to wit that faith, the which believeth Christ's justice to be imputed, and no sin reputed by God as sin to one that entertaineth such a credulity. For in that this faith may abide with any sin, it must still justify, or ●●s remaining be a false faith, believing sin not to be imputed by God, when 〈◊〉 it is imputed. Than if for remission of such sin and justification be necessary repentance, first it followeth against the Protestant, that men are justified by their works; that is not by only faith, but also by repentance; when as to exclude justification by works, the Protestant ordinarily affirmeth only the work of faith, and Christ his justice to justify. After hereon may be inferred also, that it is a faith altogether false and vain in the Protestant, whilst he believeth his sin not to be imputed, or that the justice of Christ is to him imputed: for in that faith goeth before contrition and repentance, if faith believing the sin not to be imputed in that very moment be not joined to justification, it is a false faith, seeing it believeth that, which is not true; that is, that sin is not imputed, when in fact it is imputed still, until contrition, repentance and charity be in presence and have access. Than as only faith doth not justify, so that especial faith of a Protestant is a false faith, and not to be admitted: the which notwithstanding is the very life and soul of the Protestants religion, and the chief engine erected up by Luther and Caluine to impugn the Roman and Catholic be feel. lastly here on doth it ensue, that man is not justified by the justice of Christ imputed to him for so to that should suffice only faith: but that he is justified after contrition by some other quality as inherent: for the justice of Christ doth not otherwise justify, as teach the Protestanters, but when it is apprehended by one as his own; which apprehension, if there be any such, must go before repentance, and so justify without it; or if justification be not until the instant of contrition, it can not be by the justice of Christ apprehended, but by some other means. And so from Hampton Court, let the Protestanters know, that they have received the canvasado, a deadly blow, a battery of the very bulk, corpse, substance▪ centar and heart of their Religion.  
9 And surely here the Theology of the Protestanter in the great subtility there 
The physic and metaphysic of a Protestant.  of amasseth the world. They profess, that by the law of God and nature provision is to be made for the good estate of body and soul: yet in the division they observe no mathematicull proportion of equality For to fattup and pamper the body, the elements every where ransacked can scar make purveyance for necessary repast: to which purpose fasting days must be violated to enlardgie the shambleses, that no thing entering in to the mouth hurt the soul. Enclosures of monasteries are to be broken dowen, that the body may find it pray and pleasure upon every bank. Laws of restraincte are to be adjudged unpossible, unprofitable, to the end, that the corpulency of the pance encounter with no girdle of stint or stay. But when he cometh to diet and feed the soul, alas his lardirie is small and lean: and poor creature it must be content with a little morsel of apprehensive faith, feeding on a crust being thank full: only faith is meat and drink, and so it becometh in fine as fine and gaunt as a shotten hearing, or a little devil, as nimble as a schipiak flea, as subtle as the point of a needle: and yet a massy borden of all vices is to be heaped upon the back of this sterueling wretch! Is not this partition of pasture ingeniously very physical, and metayfisicall? Doubles it is better to be acquainted with his Kitchen, than his chapel. A soul in abodie as a needle in a bottom of hay.   

Faith, the which is sufficient, in as much as is exacted to the true nature of faith, through man his frailty may be separated from charity; although the Protestant to make a colour for his justifying faith, as if a faith charitable and holy, denieth the possibility of such a separation. But indeed his drift is, to establish a faith of itself alone, devoid of charity, yea accompanied with the opposite vices, as competent to justification and salvation.  
CHAPTER. XXI.  
MOST certain it is, that as faith is of necessity a requisity cause of charity and 
Faith is cause of charity.  contrition, without the which it can not in any sort be produced, so also most assured, that it provoketh much the soul of a man to the same virtue, and still eggeth it forwards to that perfection and consummation of a Christian profession, when as by view it layeth before our eyes the goodness of almighty God, especially 
C● Trid. Sells. 6. cap 6. c. 8. 15. Can. 18.  manifested and imparted unto our kind by the Incarnation, death and Passion of our Saviour Christ: no other information of mind by Philosophy, or otherwise, so effectually soliciting us thereunto, as this our Christian faith and belief. Whereupon 
Bern. Sir 2. de Aseensi●: Ser. 2 de●. 〈◊〉 D Thomas 22. q. 4. at 2, 3. 4.  the inflamed charity towards almighty God, is very properly termed by the best divines, the life and form of faith: The life, in that faith worketh by charity, the which among all other vertu●s, both by her peculiar act and likewise by her general commandry of all other good functions, is most operative and industrious. Also it is the form of faith; not that it is any way the essential and internal part thereof, seeing 
Tollet in cap. 12. joan.  that faith is placed in the understanding, and charity in the will and affection: but in that sense, wherein charity is understood to be the end of faith, and final perfection 
Heb. 11.  whereunto it tendeth: Faith being, as speaketh the Apostle▪ the foundation or substance of things hoped for, whilst it once settled in the soul, as ground work of a spiritual 
Aug. de S●ir. &. l. Tract 20. in johan. li Tract. ca 7. Quid est ergo credete in e●●? credendo amare, creden. do diligete. ep. 205.  edifice, according to Saint Augustine, supporteth and bringeth forth charity, as the roof and top of Christian compliment, and so at last atriveth to glory, and beatirude in heaven. And without this charity of repentance, and love towards God and man●, faith ana●leth not either to justification o● salvation, in that none can be justified by only faith, before the same charity, as hath been entreated: but justification is then effected in a sinner, when he believing loveth and repenteth; and in the self same moment one is a penitent, and also a justified person; although according to priority of cause and disposition, first is charity and repentance, and then ensueth justification by infusion of grace, and entry of the holy Ghost.  
2. Nevertheless it is a truth apparently averred both by authority of sacred 
Faith may be divored from charity. Augu. lib. 1. de Baptismo ca 8 9 10. deGra. & lib. ar. ca 7. 1 Tim. 1. Colos. 3.  writ, and also by a demoustrative inference from reason Theological, that a sufficient faith, in as much as is required i● way of faith to justification, may consist with any mortal and deadly sin, infidelity only excepted: and so that faith may be divorced from charity, that keepeth the law, from repentance, that putteth of the old man, and consequently that it may remain in that soul, which is actually in estate of sin and damnation, yea be so far from iustysifying one from his sins, or imparting to him righteousness, that rather it will increase the malice of his offences, and aggravate in God his sight the calamity of such a miserable condition. True it is, that 
Bern set. 2 de de Resur.  affirmeth Saint Bernard, The life of faith is charity; in that as operation is the effect and sign gf life, so is faith in life and endeavour by charity, and without that charity, in any time or moment before the same, it is a dead faith, as saith the Apostle, devoid 
jacob. 5.  of life. And the same devout doctor avoucheth, that charity doth comoyne and marry the soul of a sinner to almighty God, and so lastly is a most perfect disposition to justification. Ergo si perfect diligit, n●●fit: uherefore if the soul love 〈◊〉, it is 
Bern ser. 73. in Contic. Aug. Tract. 6 in johan. e. ●. De peceato origin. c. 25. johan. 12.  thereby married, But that this matiage of the soul with almighty God, this life and form of faith, may be severed from faith, partly by negligence of the will, not consenting to the good instigation of faith, or holy inspiration thereon proceeding, and partly by the committing of some grievous offence against charity due to God and man, holy Scriptures do avouch; namely when the Gospel recounteth to us, that many of the Princes believed in Christ, although for fear and affection to the world, they refused te profess their faith, or to embrace our Saviour by the charity of a christian life and profession, yea rather agreeing and consenting to persecute him, 
Augu. Tra. 54. in joan. Tollet ibid.  even until so cruel and reproachful a death. In whom notwithstanding Saint Augustine in his exposition acknowledgeth no defects of faith, as meet and answerable to the grace of justification. Mroeover ou● Saviour in his Gospel proposeth a parable of certain persons invited to a banquet, and sitting at the Table, not invested 
Matth. 24. Hier. in. c. 22. Matth. Greg. ho. 3 8. in Euangel. ●ulgenth. de Inccat. cap. ●. Aug. li. de baptismo cap. 8. c. 11. l 1. count. Crescon. c. 29.  in their wedding garments. In which narration was signified, that such guests wanted not faith, in virtue thereof repairing to that place, and acknowledging the marriage accomplished by the mystery of the Incarnation betwixt our Saviour and his Church; but for that faith in one of them was not adjoined to charity, therefore he wanted his wedding garment, and upon that default was sentenced to eternal damnation. Finally whereas the Scriptures reach that charity fulfileth the law, they pronunce consequently the same charity to be expelled by the greater offences, as adversaries unto it; as by adultery, fornication, robbery, and such like. But that faith is always expulsed by those crimes, they can not affirm▪ sithence that faithful men in 
Why sin expelleth charity and not faith.  their frailty, are subject unto them: so then from scriptures may be deduced as a conclusion, that faith may be parted from charity, and that charity continually is not a necessary effect thereof. To which end also of proof, Theological reason itself, is most pregnant and efficacious. For in that faith resideth in the understanding and sins of evil affection in the will, as adultery, stealth and such like, the will may misdemeane itself alured by concupiscence of pleasure or wordly advantage, whil●ste the understanding is rightly informed by faith, and enterteyneth not any infidelity. It is the force of concupiscence, the which transporteth the action of the will to pleasing vice, against judgement, reason, and the law of faith in the offender.  

part alia violentus aquistorrentibus amnis, 
Prudent in Hama●tin.   
Transilit obiectae repagula ripae;  
Et vagus eversis late dominatur in agris.  
The torrent breaking out o● side,  
Doth pass in rage command of bank,  
And streams abroad in conquerous pride  
As lord of field, beyond his rank.   
And seeing that virtue is excluded only by the opposite vice, as light by darkness, heat by cold, life by death, in that faith in the mind of man hath no opposition but to infidelity, and contrariwise charity, the which is employed generally about the 
D. Th. 2 a. 1.ae q. 25 art. 12. Valent. 2. a. 2. e. disp 34 pun cto 4. How works do justify according to the Protestant and are required to salvation. jacob ●. Ezech. 18. Isa 38. Psal. 6. Cal. l. 3 In c 2. Th● sole act of faith is a dead faith, and is in deniils. Aug de Fid. ct oper c. 21. So Sclussel. Art de fide & bon. op. a Luther● arguing against the Protestan●er Calvinian. Ista quip fides est Christianorum an Daemoniorun. nam & daemo nes credunt? Augu epi. 105.  whole observance of the law, as well natural as divine, hath in opposition any trespass notably violating the same law, therefore can it not at one time consist togewith such breach and disloyalty. Whereupon excellently well the school Doctor. What fact soever is repugnant to the precepts of God, manifestlee is also repugnant to charity. For in that a man by choice of sin, preserreth his offence before the friendship with almighty God, the which friendship requireth that we follow his will, it is a consiquence, that by every act of deadly sin, the habit of charity is lost. To the same purpose commendably disputeth Valentia, a famous doctor of the Society of jesus.  
3. The Protestant destinguishing betwixt justification and salvation, diversely thereon doth define as concerning the necessity of charity and good works. To justification he maketh no reckoning of good works, as if precedent thereunto; only attributing the same to faith, apprehending the promises of the Gospel. And whereas the Scriptures affirm, that works do justify, that charity and repentance do forgive sin, he interpreteth them to that sense, in as much as they be the necessary fruits, effects, and signs of faith, the which before hath already remitted sins, and obtained the grace of justification. Than as concerning salvation, he reputeth charity and virtuous deeds, as necessary in precedency, in that a true justifying faith, can not be without them, they being the necessary effects of such a faith, as heat is of the blazing sun. The which is avouched by the Protestanter, to avoid in some show that filthy conceit framed by the old condemned Puritans, to wit, that faith, in all turpitude of life, and despoiled of all virtue, sufficed as to justification, so also to salvation. But the Protestanter agreeing with that Puritan in the antecedent, that is that to justification only faith serveth, before charity and repentance, showeth, himself either simple and ignorant in disagreeing with him about the consequent, to wit that only faith without virtue, is competent also to salvation, as shall be declared, or else a false dissembler, conspiring with him both in the one and the other, yet concealing or disproouing the latter, only to avoid reproach and refusal of the former, even from a natural modesty and shame of mankind. Yet whilst they intent thus to grace their faith by charity, inseparably issuing from the same, no great honesty or decency they mark out for their faith, in that they hold 
Charity defileth faith according to the 〈◊〉.  opinion, that charity itself, repentance, and finally all other virtues commanded and prescribed by charity, are deadly and mortal sins, defiled with original guilt, even in the just, worthy of damnation, and so as bad as adultery, or any other fact of abomination; only not taken in that tenor by almighty God, by reason of faith apprehending Christ his justice: so that will they, ●ill they, their justifying faith is impute and contaminated; and if it be necessarily coupled to charity, as necessarily it is united to all iniquity. He are we now the trial by the rule of virtue.  
4. The Catholic as by faith he knoweth certanly the goodness of almighty God 
● fear by faith to lo●se charity through sin.  through our Saviour Christ, and firm stedfastines of his promises, so discovereth he his own infirmity, frailty and casualty to do and work against conscience informed by faith, to yiele unto valawfull pleasures, when faith seeketh to retire the will and affection from their baits; and so to be still in icopardie to lose charity, the soul, life, and form of faith: And hereupon he conceiveth a great feat and dread to approach near to the occasions of sin, or to procure a divioreement betwixt faith and charity by the breach of the law: as if faith should abhor, that the Altar of the soul, consecrated to the divine fire of charity, should be profaned, as once were 
1. Mach. 1.  Altars in Jerusalem, with a fire of brutish and foreign concupiscence. The Protestanter in force of faith, is assecured from this wholesome sense, knowing that his faith, once engendered in mind, never possibly can be distracted from charity by any misdemeanure, and therefore if he only provide to nourish faith by reading and hearing the word, no frailty of his can rend and tear it away from charity, from sanctity. He is assured that he enjoyeth a true justifying faith, and thereby is ascertained, that also his charity is cotrespondentlie as divine and sacred, and that it can not possibly be lost. O vile sense of opinion, so contrary to the fear of God, and perservation against sin! If a Protestant have this certain information of his charity, as perpetual and eternal, as not exposed to danger of ruin, in what security may he not loiter and triumph in mollitie, knowing that no Dalila, no Nero can allure or force this his charity to forsake his soul, but that in all presentement of iniquity, in all temptations, in banqueting, in courtly enticements, his charity shall remain inviolable, and still possess the seat it hath, in his soul? Fie proud and filthy faith, a peacooke in plume, and a swine in the soil.  
5. We Catholics esteem with S, Augustin sin the more detestable, in that it despoileth 
●inne the grater by reason of faith. Aug. l. de Gra. & li. ar. c. 3 de Fid . c. 24. Tra. 2. in lohan. cap. 10. Epist. 122. Sciens voluntate Domini sui & faciens indigna plagis vapulabit multis. Luc. 12. Matth. 12. The purity of Charity. joan. 15.  the offender of charity, persisting still the instruction of conscience by faith, the which doth aggravate the sin, and so account this loss of charity in a person faithful, and of the family of Christ his Church, as more damageable, so more culpable, in that it is a transgression of one, and a perseverance in the same, that knoweth by faith remaining, the turpitude and unlawfulness of the fact, and thereby condemneth himself worthy of many stripes, in that acknowledging the will of God, yet violaeth distoyallie the same, as witnesseth our Saviour. And as we attribute this quality untho the Christian faith reclaiming us from offences, so also ascribe we to the virtue Charity that innocency and purity, the which can not consist with the enormity of any grievous breach of God his commandment. For holy Scriptures advertise us, that Charity maketh friendship betwixt God and man, so that as one friend in value and efficacy of friendship agreeth to the others desire, conspiring as it were in one thought, heart, & conversation, so likewise dissension, opposition, forsaking of either party, doth destroy and break such link of friendship and amity: Whereupon that person, the which is endued with charity, as friend with almighty God, will for his sake and love observe his commandments, and in regard thereof forsake any pleasure or emolument, making or inviting to the contrary: otherwise being impossible, as spreaketh our blessed Saviour, yea a lie in spirit, to think that one loveth God 
johan. 41.  and keepeth not his ordinances. Therefore in the violation of any of the Ten commandments, as in consentment to adultery, fornication, theft, robbery, and the rest, in which is implied a preferment of pleasure before God, a contempt of God, a misprisall and breach of his law, appeareth that wickedness and guilt of crime, the which can not abide with charity, and union unto almighty God. In which respect the Catholic judgement is most pure, whereas it hateth sin by faith the only obstacle against charity, and that which giveth by privation of the same a deadly blow unto the soul offendant, even cold again thereby to death, wanting the vital hear of that heavenly virtue. But the Protestanter making his charity as not removable from faith, entertaineth thereby an absurd and false charity, an impure charity, yea a charity affording security and innocency to all treachery contrary to God and man. Wherhfore against the charity Protestantish, so unseparable from faith, I frame this argument: The justifying faith of a Protestant is not repugnant to that fact which is a 
Witaker l 3. de pec. or. c. 2.  mortal sin, and a damnable breach of all the ten commandments, nor with charity itself, in his account a sin; therefore neither is it adversary and opposite to the defect and want of charity. The Antecedent is made good by the Protestanter, 
The Protestantish faith despoiled of Charity.  acknowledging that the just and regenerate transgress against all the commandments of God and nature, sin continually in concupiscensce worthy damnation; and affirming the just to have that charity, which passing by the will of man, as water by a filthy sink or channel, is defiled, and a dealie sin hateful to God, and worthy eternal fire in hell. The consequence is thus assured. The privation and want of charity by evil life, can be no worse than those sins that stand with a justifying faith, and are not imputed to a man in virtue thereof: in that all equally deserve eternal punishments, and are indifferently in God his sight deadly and mortal sins: Therefore if the crimes of concupiscence, of charity itself, do consist with a justifying faith, and by grace thereof are not imputed, or hurt not the offender, so also may the want of charity, and expulsion there of by hatred of our neighbour, by murder and rapine remain with a justifying faith, and obtain thereby pardon, remission and forgiveness. Why then can not faith keep hold in the soul without charity, as if the purity of faith could not admit such a defect? And if faith procure indulgence, and that one mortal sin be not imputed, why then to that effect can it not provide as much for 
The faith of a Protestantmay be in his soul without moral virtue, and so without Charity.  any trespass, or for loss of charity? secondly thus I dispute. The justifying faith of a Protestant, may abide without the moral virtue of justice, of cominencie, of temperance, therefore also may it stand in sequestration from charity towards God and man. The Antecedent is admitted by the Protestant, granting to David a justifying faith, in the very act of adultery and murder, and to all the regenerate, the which continually trespass against the moral virtues by concupiscence, yea against the whole Ten commandments, and are sometimes blasphemers, and men plunged in despair. Moreover reason approveth the same, seeing there is no cause, why one should be first an infidel discrediting the promises of Christ in his Gospel, before that by frailty and heat of nature, he yield consent unto lust unlawful; for so none should offend against temperance and continency, but infidels, and men that believe not in the Gospel: the which is most false. The consequence is thus put into demonstration: Where is deadly sin opposite to charity towards God, there can no charity remain; as continency and temperance are not to be found in persons impure in drunkenness and riotousness: For what agreement betwixt light and darkness, Christ 
2. Cor. 6. Luc. 25.  and Beliall? Or can any man imagine the prodigal child to have been chaste and and moderate, or in fact of lust endowed with the moral virtue of continency? But all sins, notoriously violating the law of God, and injurying our neighbour, are quite opposite to the Theological virtue Charity, that observeth the law, and that affecteth a neighbour in love and good affection for the sake of God: therefore the faith of a Protestant may be fou●de in separation from charity, and so charity is neither requisite to justification, nor to salvation. The former proposition neede●h not any proof▪ seeing experience and sense reach and allow it. The minor neither can be denied: For how hath he charity towards God, that by his had fact contemneth him, loveth him not, but prefers in the balance of his choice, some vile contentment before his infinite goodness and excellency, that placeth the last end of his will and desire in some creature disorde●lie beloved, when it should end and settle in God almighty alone? Therefore a libidinous person, a profaner of God his holy name, retaineth no charity toward his heavenly lord. Likewise he that hates his brother, he that consenteth in wish and will to hurt him in name, in body, and faculties, can not possess any charity towards him, unless a thief, a murderer, a cut●ethrote in the act of villainy and injustice, by the account of a wise Protestanter, may be said to be in charity towards his brother and neighbour: or that David harboured charity towards Urias, procuring wickedly his death. Than is it most manifest, that a justifying faith is not of necessity still coupled to charity, or produceth the same, or that true justification is annexed to sanctification of life and action: but rather, that a justified person by the Protestanters reckoning, may remain just for some days and months, yea years, in virtue of a vile faith, severed from charity, from honesty, and all other commendable 
● joan 3.  qualities: flatly against the Evangelist, affirming, that he which lo●eth not his brother, abideth in death, that is, where charity is deficient and not to be found, there is resident the empire of sin, and of due debt to eternal damnation. The same verity is approved by our Saviour, recounting in a parable, one to be cast into outward darkness, for defects of the wedding garment, which is charity, as the doctors 
Hie. in Mat 22 Gre hom. ●8. in evan.  do commonly expound that place. How then is their justifying faith good, allowable, honest, that believeth such breach of charity not to be imputed? Certes a villainous faith; It is a puritanical gloze to cover all filth of carriage, and to gild a dunghill of ordure▪ with the name of the lord and of the Gospel. And that faith may be in separation from charity, from repentance, is manifested also by experience; in that many offend against charity, and harbour evil purposes, knowing by faith that such c●nsentments and projects are naught, and not to be by any good person conceived in device, or put in practice of execution: then in that case doth remain a ●aith void of charity. Moreover it is one thing to believe the Gospel by ●aith, and an other to work in charity, as to overcome temptations persuading to injury God or our neighbour: to which office of charity, concurreth in the mind, not only the act of belief, but a peculiar vocation and persuasion to that purpose, inspired by the holy Ghost: so that as faith and such vocations ●re not of necessity coupled together, no more are faith and charity in such sort conjoined. From hence may be concluded, that according to the doctrine Protestantishe, charity, that is the works of the virtues, observation of the law, or newness of ●●fe, as they be not necessary preparements to justification, which they themselves confess, so neither of necessity are they conducent to salvation. To which asse●tion, I propose this argument: Charity, repentance, and the rest of the moral virtues, are not necessary to justification, therefore neither to salvation. The Antecedent is declared as good by the adversary. The consequent I thus prove. Where justification is found, there is also innocency, purity, a childeshippe with God, a worthiness to heavenly bliss, as the Scriptures expressie affirm: therefore if imputation of the justice of Christ be a sufficient justification, it is also a competent seed for glory thereunto due, by the v●lew of that justice imputed, and promises of God made unto the same: whereupon nothing else beside this faith is necessary to salvation. For what goodness or commendable quality riseth from charity following faith, is wholly derived unto it from the precedent faith, as Protestants define; otherwise charity, and all the works of the virtues, as they pass by man his will, are contaminated, and dead●●e sins, therefore in the justice of Christ apprehended by sole faith, is included only that pennyworth and guerdon to which is due the reward of salvation: then is not charity necessary to salvation; for from charity the worker gaineth no abetterance or commodity, besides that which is emplyed in the justice of Christ, before that charity have access, apprehended by sole faith. Wherhfore 
Charity not ● e. ●ssa●●e to Salvation by the Protestant Aug l. de fide & op. cap 15. Let no mani● deed promise to himself eternal life through faith without works▪ which is de. ad. l. de. Bapt. c 8 tract. 6. i● johan Noli d● fide glo●iari adhuc dae●monibus comparandus. Zachar. 7. jaceb 5. Protestantenemie to charity. 1. Tim ●. G●or Abba● pag ●08. Po●e●it erg● saluare sine ●peribus fides! falsum e●it quod dixit eius co●postolus jacobus. Falsum crit & illud quod, id● ipse Paulus 〈◊〉: Nolite erra●e neque fornicatores? Aug 〈◊〉. cap. 67. The ●●●o●-rage of a 〈◊〉.  the Protestant ought not to say, that charity and repentance are necessary to salvation, but only that they be necessary effects of a justifying faith, the which only justifieth and saveth. But it is proved against him, that neither in this sense, charity or repentance are necessary, in that faith may be separated from charity by diverse sins opposite unto it. In which season of separation, be it for an hour, or a day, or a month, if one should depart out of this life, the Protestanter will afford unto one, in virtue of his bore faith, beatitude in heaven: How then is charity necessary to salvation, some being salved without charity and repentance, with hearts hardened, as s●eele and adamant, as speak the Prophets, by a faith that is dead, which liveth and moveth not by charity?  
6. From hence mayst thou gentle Reader receive intelligence of the Catholic truth, in that it only avoucheth the necessity of charity, as to justification so also to salvation; and as the grace of justification is lost by grievous sins, faith still abiding, so is also thereby charity expelled, the end of the law, and a virtue that observeth the same: Whereas the Protestanter only in word and colour maketh resemblance, as if he were a friend to this charity, and pronounceth it necessary to salvation, although not to justification: When indeed he reputeth one just by only faith in absence of charity, and in the act of any wickedness, as David in his adultery and murder, S. Peter in his cold of body and spirit, denying for want of charity, to know his dearest master and Reedemer: intending as purpose and final end of Doctrine, although vile and brutish, although so shameful, as the impudency of a Protestant dare not expressly avouch it, to wit▪ that only faith apprehending the promises of God in the Gospel, without charity and virtue, and all honesty justifieth, saveth, maintaineth a man from any hurt by sin and villainy, emboldeneth him to use the liberty of his faith, and in virtue of a strong credultitie, to yield to all concupiscences that occur, and enormities of nature so decayed, and bend to foul pleasures. This, this, is the drift of his preach and s●ile in service of Satan and Antichrist, only graced with a gloss of saith, of the gospel, of the lord, and of many such fooleries, mee●lie to the cozenage of the simple and evil disposed. But let the Politic magistrate hither turn his watchful eye, and he shall see that no Protestant can be a good subject to his Prince, or a good member of any common wealth, in such sort a professed enemy to charity, and in it to all virtue, decency and civility.   

Charity aimed at by Hope, according to the Catholic account, is a work of man his soul, proceeding from grace, and the inspiration of the holy Ghost, good and laudable; although the Protestanter enemy thereunto, repute it as nought, had, and defiled by original sin, in the very regenerate children of almighty God.  
CHAPTER. XXII.  
THE holy Apostle S. Paul, mentioning the three virtues Theological, Faith, 
1, Cor. 13. 12. The excellency of Charity. Math. 22. 1. Cor. 12.  Hope, and Charity so available to justification and salvation, pronun●eth charity to be the chiefest, and in perfection most eminent and sovereign. And our blessed Saviour termeth the precept of charity, the fist and greatest commandment: according lie his Apostle calleth it the most excellent way or demeanour of man his action and conversation, and an abridgement of all other precepts: which verity is so manifest of itself, that Caluine comparing Charity with faith and hope, affordeth 
Calu. 3. Inst. c. 18. sect. 8. Charity preferred before moral ver●●●●. Aug. Tract 6. & 7. in johan. ●. 1. de Grat. Christ. c. ●●.  charity the primacy and principality. And if first we balance this virtue charity together with moral virtues, charity doubtless will appear the most noble, and transcendent; in that moral virtues respect no● as object immediately any thing or quality in God, but some other creature, as to be squared and fashioned according to reason. So temperance regardeth meat and drink, continency carnal delights, justice that which is to be surrendered to an other: But Charity, in that it is a virtue Theological, leveleth in action to God himself, and maketh man his soul in due proportion of the thing ruled to the rule, correspondent and agreeable thereunto: that is to that infinite goodness and perfection in almighty God, beloved of a person charitably disposed. Also if comparison be made between Charity, Faith, and Hope, Charity will have 
Charity preferred before faith & hope. Quant● est ergo charitas, quae side ●●●, 〈◊〉 haben tur c●tera, si ad●● rect● haben●ur omnis? Aug ●●. 9 in johan. c. ●. D. Thom ●. 2. q. 25. a● 6. 7. 8.  the crown, flower, and dignity: for although in as much as all three be virtues Theological, they arrive in operation to God himself as object, yet Charity in a more perfect manner thereunto carrieth man his deportment, than either faith or hope. Charity aimeth at the goodness of God, absolutely in itself, as in that kind infinite, and most amiable, whereas faith and hope respect God, as in reference to man: to wit, faith beholdeth as object the truth of God, in as much as revealing some thing unto man: Hope ●ixeth the soul upon God, in as much as beneficial unto man by grace and favour: Wherhfore se●ing that an absolute quality is more divine and eminent in almighty God, than that which is relative and respective, in reckoning of the object of charity, and of manner of working thereabout, the same obtaineth the prime and chee●e, as excellently well concludeth the school Doctor Saint Thomas.  
2. And assuredly none can imagine a more perfect union of man with God, than by charity, it being a mutual conjunction of affection, a pouring out as it were of man's love in to the bosom of almighty God, and so a perfect friendship betwixt him and 
joan 1●.  the charitable person. And what degree of excellency can be greater, than for man to be the friend of God, participating with him in communion of will and desire, to beallodged 
●he authority of Charity 〈◊〉 the virtues.  in God, as final end ●nd period of all his endeavours? furthermore the virtue Charity, not only in reason of her ob●ect, and manner she observeth tending thereunto, doth greaten the qualit●e of that enterprise of love in comparison of all the rest, but also she importeth an authority and empire included in her operation, over all other virtues, as well Theological, as moral, and intellectual, to wit an ablitie to 
D. Aug l. de vi●tutibus charitati●.  command them, to refer them to their due end, which is God himself, and so to impart unto them that ornament, which is to be most desired, and is that, the which in them may be esteemed the very principal. The moral virtues, alltho●ghe they have their proper and peculiar ends and objects in meet proportion to human reason of themselves, yet they may be farther elevated by charity▪ as when charity will fast for God his sake, give a●mes, endure calamities, execute justice, in view of the same motive: in which sense▪ the Apostle S. Paul attributeth the actions of the moral virtues to charity, as if they were the peculiar endevous of the same: Charity 〈◊〉 patiented, 
1. Cor. 1●.  charity is gentle, charity works no wrong, charity abideth all things. And as concerning hope and faith, although they have their carriage & issue of action in almighty God, yet they do not respect any thing in God, in formality of end, which is goodness itself, and therefore are subject likewise to the commandrie of Charity, as when one believeth and hopeth for the love of God; by which external reference they are not only in subjection to charity, but from the same receive true life, merit, value; and that which is chief, to wit to be reposed in almighty God as last end and final term.  
3. To conclude, in that Charity is more immediately, more coniunctlie united to 
Charity united to purity. Ani●a tua sine Spiritu Sancto, id est sine charitate si fuerit, mortua deputabitur Aug Tra. 9 in johan. c. 2. 1▪ joan. 5. 1. joan. 2. 1. joan. ●. Ro●. 13. Inseparabilis est quip bona vita a fide, quae per dilectionem operatur: imo vero ●aipsa est bona vita Aug. de Fid. & Oper. c. 22. 1. Cor 13. Prud. Psych.  justification, as noteth S. August●n, to purity, to sanctity of life, to remission of sins, than is either faith or hope, therefore charity is the most noble and peerless. He which charitably embraceth God, and his neighbour, as friend to both, remaining in that estate, as occasion is presented observeth the law of God, of nature, and of lawful superior, and can not abiding in charity mortally or grievously offend either. For if one by sin should prefer either pleasure or commodity before God, he should thereby lose his Charity, and violate all friendship betwixt him and his divine person offended. He that remaineth in Charity sinneth not, as telleth us S. john. And the Apostle Saint Paul thus recounteth unto us the force and efficacy of Charity. He that loveth his neighbour, hath fulfilled the law: for, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shall not be concupiscent, & whatsoever other commandment, is in this wo●de summed up: So that Charity is a virtue, which produceth good abearance towards God & man, keepeth the law of God and nature, as witnesseth S. Augustin: & where is any notable violation of the law, either in respect of God or man, there is not charity, and where is wanting charity, there no virtue is of any moment to salvation of itself, but a man by want thereof is become nothing, as speaketh the Apostle, having lost his full and whole substance & possession, whatsoever virtue moral or Theological remain behind.  

Quid ●●●at indomitos bell● sedasse surores,  
●t sanctum vitijs pereuntibus omne recepium,  
Si vi●tu● sub pace cadit▪  
What praise, if warlike force in field, do hostile furies qu●ll,  
Yea all vice subdued, if peace domestic war in ●arring wrath expel▪   
When as one endued with faith and hope, such virtues persisting still in the soul, may yet break the law of God and nature, by s●ayltie or malice, because there is not that contrariety betwixt faith and adultery, or stealth, as there is betwixt these offences and charity, that keepeth the law, and iniu●eth not any Wereupon we Catholics in this respect attribute justification rather to charity, than to faith or hope, as coming nearer thereunto, and unremoveablie united to that pearl of heaven; sithence that in the same moment one is justified, when he in charity loveth God, or repenteth himself of his sins, although this actual charity be not the formal justice, serving only as disposition precedent unto the same, yet both are together in the soul, and can not be severed; when as from faith may be disjoined grace of justification, in that faith may consist with any sin, infidelity only excepted. Wherhfore in respect of these reasons, Charity is chief, and that which principally concurreth to justification.  
4 In consideration of which prerogative and principality in charity, we shall find 
The precept and degree of Charity.  no virtue in holy writ, so district●●e commanded us, as the virtue Charity, both for the necessity thereof, and also degree and quality of the same. The object of this Charity is that main sea of goodness and perfection in almighty God, into the which we are counseled to dive ourselves as deep as may be: It is a mount of the heart through an aspiring heat, where in can be no excess: a dispense of the soul, in 
Matth. 22.  which can be found no loss or prodigality; we being willed to love God with all out heart, and all our soul; and with all our mind: where the fervour of heart is to be employed, the spiritual vigour of soul to be occupied, and the intelligence of mind to be applied. Truth it is, that by reason of nature's decay, and bad inclination weakened by continual concupiscence, we do not, or cannot, arrive to that hight and intention of love, as is the end thereof to be performed in heaven: yet in the least degree that is of charity, is there no sin or breach of commandment, only being allotted unto us and prescribed that degree of love, which is contrary to all other unlawful love of creature, implied in mortal sin. And for that every degree of endeavour therein is a amity with God, placeth the last end of the soul in his goodness best beloved, and pulleth it away from the disordered affection towards any creature in mortal sin, therefore it is a love sufficient to justification, and so a love of all the heart, of all the soul, and of all the mind, a love exceeding all other loves that may be reputed damnable in the sight of almighty God. Upon which point excellently good and sound seemeth to me the doctrine of that famo as Clearcke and blessed Martyr the Bishop of Rochester, who destinguisheth three sorts of men employed in works 
Roffen●●s art. 23.  of charity: The first is of those which do● many works repugnant to charity, as those that commit theft, adulter●e or manslaughter, who are far distant from Charity. Another there is of those, the which perform the work of charity, but by negligence, which s●lie entereth by distraction, or human frailty, do not endeavour so earnestine as they might, if they ben● themselves thereunto? And these also arrive not to that degree of charity, to the which they might have attained, if in case they had been more attentive to that business: although not as the former altogether suaruing from the whole compass of charity. The third kind is of those, which by the assistance of grace, employ their whole force in the work of charity, in as much as they can by reason of the infirmity of the flesh: Yet notwithstanding these attain not to the full●●s of charity, although that defect be not to them voluntary, but altogether accident against their wills. Amongst them all there is this difference, that the first manner of working, is mortal sin, the second a venial, the third neither mortal or venial, because not voluntarily procured. So this excellent Doctor. In the second form of operation is remarked by him a venial sin; not that intrinsicallie such sin is included in the act of charity, for so the work would not be good, containing in it any defect, but in that such a venial defect of negligence doth accompany commonly and follow the same. Therefore we must know, that the highest degree possible of charity is the end of charity, and not commanded us in this life, so propense to vanity, and so hindered from this sacred love, and desired hight of affection. And that in charity is included no sin, but rather a work, that pleaseth God, the scriptures do avouch: Be watchful you just, and look you sin not: Than in charity is there no sin. Performing these things, 
1. Cor. ●6.  sayeth S. Peter, you shall not sin at any tyme. He that observeth this word, saith S. john, 
2. ●er. 1.  truly in him is the perfect charity of almighty God. And that men do not sin in not acting that which is impossible, the ancient fathers with apparent reason do contest. We detest the blasphemy of those, writeth Saint Hierom, that say God to have commanded 
Hier. ep. ad Damas'.  man any thing impossible, or that every one can not keep his precepts. Neither could God, w●yteth S. Augustine, command any impossibility, because he is just, neither is he to condemn any for that they could not aveyde, because he is merciful. 
Aug. l. de nat. & great ca 69. The Protestant enemy of Coa●itie.   
5 This sacred and heavenly virtue of charity the heretic doth mightily malign, as an ornament and duty, that principally standeth for the Catholic against his sect and faction: wherefore to the end he may work the same the greater disgrace, in deep hypocrisy and Antichristian deceit dissembleth his feat under the name and colour of faith, setting the Theological virtues at variance, and then b●ttering one by the other. It is his faith, whereby he excludeth all necessity and use of charity, as appertaining either to justification or salvation, as hath been entreated; and now by a feigned humility upon acknowledgement of nature's infirmity, by faith endeavoureth he the ruin of so holy and singular a virtue. First saith he, so are the faculties of man his soul not only weakened, but polluted with original sin remaining yet in the just 
So the Priscillianists as writeth Vin. Li●. cap. 34.  and regenerate, that the very effecting of man his charity by the will, is sinful and odious unto almighty God. Than on the one side considering the pitch and strain of commandrit in holy writ, acknowledged by faith, prescribing unto us the degree of charity, that is to love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds, for that such an observance in that quality is impossible, therefore all men, 
Matth 21.  inferreth he, in loving God, offend against that, which is commanded, and thereby do sin by an offence damnable and wicked: so laboureth he in charity, as fountain and mother virtue to poison all the stream of good works, issuing from the same: that finally may be contrived in men's souls a contempt of virtue, of sanctity, of civility, and indeed that the rudeness of barbarism and confusion may be induced.  
6. The goodness and excellency of Charity we Catholics do gather from the 
Charity most excellent.  object thereof, to wit from the perfection of God beloved thereby, and from the motion of the Holy Ghost, cause efficient of the same; and so esteem it, as pure, devoid of sin, yea adorned with the best flower, that groweth in the garden of virtue, or watered from heaven by grace. Charity is a flame of that fire, which so once vamped out of the sacred body and soul of our Saviour, hanging upon the Cross, and was p●w●ed 
Luc. 12.  out by him from above to fall upon the hearts of men; and therefore no fire of impurity or of smoky concupiscence. And as it shoule be a presumptuous insolence, and a great injury against the Prince, for one to take hold of his person or purple with hands polluted or unclean, ●o likewise an arrogant blasphemy is it in the Protestanter, 
joan. ●5. Charity can not be sinful by original sin. 1 Cor. ●. joan. 3.  to impute sin to that act of charity, which embraceth God, is perfect friendship betwixt him and us, and a principal at cheevement in us from the blood of Christ And why Protestant is charity a sin▪ B●cause saith he, it is adionyed to original sin. A false ground to support a ●oule heresy: for Scriptures tell us, that original sin by the blood of Christ is washed awa●e, is expelled, or otherwise how are we redeemed, how purified, how justified, how restored to that justice we lost by Adam his fall? Moreover admit we, it remain in all, yet can it not give any stain or odious brand to charity. First for that it a● pertaineth not to charity, as cause, object, end, or circumstance: then for that charity is effected and procured by the Holy Ghost. In virtue of the former position, I frame this argument against the Protestanter: The sin of adultery, remaining in the just, doth not infect with adultery the work of a justifying saith, the work of justice, or of alms deeds, therefore neither can charity from original sin, receive any crime or gui●t. The sin of adultery surly is greater, and of a more malignant nature, than is original offence, in that it is procured by a personal act and liberty in the offender himself, and so worthy of hell fire eternally; whereas original sin is caused only by the free consent of Adam, and is not in power of us now to avoid it: therefore if original sin do contaminate all works of charity and virtue, much more shall do the like the actual and personal sin of adultery. Wherhfore i● the Protestanter sh●ll deny the antecedent▪ his deep Theology, or rather gross ass●●arie must contesse, that the act of ●aith is 〈…〉 and taketh from it a touch in the same kind, and held of God as worth●e of eternal damnar on because defiled with adultery; and yet is not any act of adulte●●e. Yea in that protestants confess the regenerate persons continually to sin against all the commandments 
W●●ker ● 3 depe●●or. c. 2  by concupiscence, and to be in act the●ues, 〈◊〉 and such 〈◊〉, and fit puritans for the hogsty, they must grant also, that the virtue 〈◊〉 a justifying faith, is polluted with adultery, with robbery, with original sin: and so with all villante imaginable. Is not this sweet stuff, and a worthy Theology 〈◊〉 upon admittance of the Antecedent, he den●e the consequence, he shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to want reason, and show, that the ●irdes of his ne●ste are flowe● towards the 〈◊〉 of fo●les For why should not adultery infect charity, as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea he ●dmitteth as much, and can not deny what he confesseth by 〈◊〉 own mouth: For he maketh 
Original sin includeth all sins by the Protestant.  original sin to 〈◊〉 in two things, first in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of nature to 〈◊〉 full pleasures, then in actual concupiscence to the breaking of the ten ●●mn andements by sins opposite thereunto, as by adultery, fornication, blaspl●em●e▪ desperation: so that if original sin cont●m●●●te 〈◊〉 this charity must be defiled with fornication, with a million of mortal sins, l●ke sparkles 〈◊〉 flying ou●e of the 〈◊〉 of concupiscence. This is the Protestanters' persuasion to charity and good wor●es. Whereupon thus I argue A man loving God of endeth him in as many sorts as he retaineth in his soul actual sins of concupiscensce therefore in omitting this love seeing there can be but one sin committed, it is better not to love him than to love him. The Antecedent is approved by the Protestanters sink of concupiscence, defiling the whole current of water with as many sorts of ordou●e and filthy savours and smells as ate found therein. The consequent is manifest: First, for that in equality the omitting of charity is a sin with the effecting of the same all one then for that the producing of charity, deriveth from the ●●nke all sins therein contained and exposeth them to God his 〈◊〉 which doth not the sole omis 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Fie base dothsome and ●●e heresy Hear i● th●m answer if he can, or suck until the acknowledgement of truth hail him out. As concerning the second, I affirm it to be a main blasphemy of the Protestanter against the grace of Christ, and against the holy Ghost, to affirm, that the work of charity is a mortal sin. And the Protestant con●deri●g the double cause of charity, to wit the Holy Ghost and will of man then affirming, the same work to be good, in as much as it proceedeth from the Holy Ghost, and bad as issuing from the will of man, declareth, with his 〈◊〉 his gross and most absurd here●●●. First for that is impossible that one and the self same work should be good and bad, please God and displease him, seeing that all moral and Theological bonity, doth a●●le ab integra causa, from a 
D●onys.  ground and cause not impeached with defect Than to affirm, that he holy Ghost doth honest, grace, and dignify a mortal sin, by his motion, besides the blasphemy, includeth an impossibility: for as this sacred spirit can not adorn with such a gift and quality the act of adultery, or of any breach of the commandments of God, so neither can it extol and beautify the work of charity, if it be other ways naught, defiled, and a manifest breach of God his commandments, as the Protestanter doth account. Let the Protestant tell me, why it cannot stand with the providence, wisdom, and goodness of the holy Ghost, to concur with man to the act of adultery, of concupiscence, to move and incite him thereunto, and by the same moreover tender such bestiality, gracious to almighty God, and virtuous? If he answer me, that it may so be brought so pass by that sacred spirit, he shall denounce a villainy most horrible and intolerable, as if almighty God might not only cause sin, but tender sin good, commandable, and invested in the colours of heaven, sanctified with the breath of the Holy Ghost. But if it be answered, that no such thing can be brought to pass, for that the act of adultery and concupiscence is sinful, and so not capable of so precious an influence from the holy Ghost, how then if Charity be a sin, corrupted with concupiscence, if it be an actual vialation of the precept of charity, not aspiring to that pitch of degree it aught to do, can it be occasioned, provoked and sanctified by the Holy Ghost? avant foul and filthy heresy, that makes Charity a sin, that attributeth the ornament of a sin to the Holy Ghost, that taketh away from men all courage and disposition to charity, and charitable acts, in that by his account, sinful, damnable, and stained with all the sins, that may be committed against the ten commandments: should men in any reason be incited and stirred up to sin, to wallow in a dunghill, to displease God? O Doctrine detestable, and a fit cry for the swine heard of the devil, for a slave of that great beast Antichrist!  
7. But assuredly it seemeth to be a very monster of Protestantish madness, to condenne 
Charity no sin 〈◊〉 want of the highest degree.  the act of charity in man as a deadly sin, because in the frailty of this life it arriveth not to the most eminent and ardent degree to be imagined. First I say, a monster it is of conceit, yea a very blasphemy to affirm God by his law to bind us under sin to such a task, which to us is impossible; and we affirm the cogitation thereof to deprave God his providence, to make it unjust and unreasonable; as wrongly also to censure and 〈◊〉 man, taking him guilty of a crime, the which he could not a●oyde; yea the which he was obliged not to eschew; in that every one is bound to love God ●s he may, and so should be tied and constrained by precept to a defect, which is mortal sin: so to define of God, is a v●le and mo●●e wicked determination. And whereas S. Augustine affirmeth, that in this life perfectly we can not observe the commandment of charity, he understandeth the end of charity, and perfection thereof, whereunto it tendeth and directeth; not that a man doth sin mortally in loving God, for not raising his a●t to that degree, which to him is impossible, being only obliged, as he sayeth, to endeavour to fulfil qualicunque modo, as we may, the which absolutely we can not perform. And whereas we are commanded to love 
Aug. de pers. lust. c. 8.  God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, is not thereby understood, that we be tied under sin to perform an act of will, either infinite in degree, or that which is greatest imaginable, in that the first absolutely is impossible, the second neither in heaven is performed. For who doubteth, but the charity of any Saint there might increase; or acknowledgeth not, that one Saint loveth God more in●ensiu●l●e than an other? but only we are bound● first to love God, as expoundeth the divine law S. Thomas, by virtue of the four faculties in man his soul, that is by 
D Th' 2 a. 2. ● q. 49. a●. 4. & ●.  the understang by the w●ll, by the appetite sensitive, and by the senses, when an external work of charity is expected. Moreover we have in charge to ●eare that love towards almighty God, the which excludeth all other love: not that it must needs be more intense, ardent and strong than any love, the which is not unlawful, but that it exceed in appreciation all other love, that it permit not to reign or domineer in the soul any love as mortal sin, reposing and allodging man his will unlawfully and distoyallie in any creature contrary to God his law, but rather rearing up the same to God, as final end of our life, action, soul, understanding, and body.  
8. Hereupon may the Christian reader by rule of virtue perceive, how the Catholic 
By the virtue of Charity the Protestant is refused.  persuadeth this supreme virtue of charity, and how the Protestanter endeavoureth the disgrace thereof, and to withdraw the affections of men from the exercise, study and use of so excellent a work. The Catholic admitteth Charity a necessary preparement for justification, the Protestant yieldeth no room thereunto, satisfying himself to that effect with only faith. The Catholic giveth the principality to Charity before all the other virtues: the Protestanter will needs advance faith to that superiority, contrary to the Scriptures, and all good intelligence. For although 
Faith is a work of man, as well as Charity. Aug. tra. 25. in in johan c 6. Ipsam fidem Apostolus dixit esse opus.  he do equalise faith and charity in this, that both of them be mortal sins; yet for that faith justifieth immediately, assoileth and sanctifieth the sin of itself, and charity is remitted by faith, apprehending first the justice of Christ, faith must needs be the chief, as most sacred, and nearest attaining to the justice of Christ. Last, whereas we make charity, a gift of the holy Ghost, and so good, laudable, and heavenly, the Protestanter to hinder men's endeavours from that virtue, will needs persuade the world, that charity is a mortal sin, a mortal sin contaminated with original sin: the which, as defineth the Protestanter, is a continual breach of all the ten commandments: and so charity is guilty of all the sins possible to be committed by ma his frailty or malice. O heinous sense against so sovereign a virtue, when as hereby it is manifest, that it is better to omit charity with one offence, than to bring it forth with so many crimes begrimed and defiled? And doth God then command that, or bind us to perform that, the which implieth all manner of sins, and is as odious and detestable in his sight, as is original sin, that is concupiscence, breaking forth into the sins of the flesh and of the spirit? Loathing and disdain enforceth here a Period. And that men should not busy themselves to observe the law of Charity, they be advertised from the Protestant, that it is impossible, and so always deficient and culpable, and thereupon a mortal sin, and breach of God his commandment. Do then Protestants, in the very act of charity and friendship with God, violate the precepts of charity? What more can do they who hate God & man? What esteem maketh the Protestant then of charity, the princess of the virtues, the origine, source, and root of them, of all goodness finally, and integrity of life? Also in regard of ciutlitie the spirit and humour of the Protestanter in this respect, is harsh, rude, and full of crudity. For who knoweth not that Charity and mutual love is that virtue, which principally cruiliseth men's manners, that conserveth society, loving friendship, commandry and obedience amongst them? And therefore if Charity be not necessary to justification or salvation, if it be a work of the law, a deadly sin, an imperfect monster, as the Protestanter maketh it what cause is there that men should cares●r●●, or labour against concupiscence to entertain it and increase in their souls, but rather auming at pri●ace pleasure and commodity make choice of violence, of collusions and cousinages, and of what other distemperature is to be found in barbarisime?   

What mixture of love and gricfe the Catholic conceiveth and nourisheth in his soul by the meditation of our Saviour hanging upon the Cross, the Protestanter impiously and presumptuously impugneth, hindereth, and endeavoureth to abolish, as vain, superstitious, and of no spiritual import or commodity.  
CHAPTER XXIII.  
DOUBTELSSE as our Saviour Christ suffering upon the Cross, did there show 
The Charity of the Cross  the greatest excess of charity, the which almighty God in the divine person of his dear son did bear and declare to mankind, so assuredly did he thereby exhibit to our cogitations for us a spectacle, a direction, and incitement to the perfection of Christianity, as an especial procurement to attain unto that, the which by his holy Gospel was remarked and by his whole iconomie in life and death especially 
Gen. 3. The proper spirit of grace is signified by the sighing dove. Ge●unt autem columbae in ●more Au. Tra. 6 in johanca 1 Christa Seraphine and a Cherubin.  intended. Once a Cherubin at the gates of Paradise, brandishing a fiery sword, as instrument of God his divine justice, was a great terror to our first parents, and in them unto all mankind: Where as now we have a Seraphine upon the Cross, at the port of Paradise of his Church, all burning in charity for our comfort, for our invitement and encouragement to enter and enioe the beatitude of such a place of entertainment. Than most fitly was a Cherubin, so for knowledge surnamed, used in fire of revenge, in that it concerned the providence of almighty God, to take notice of our trespass, to lay it before our eyes, and balance out the weight thereof with his judgement of severity. But now in the time of the Gospel, when charity, love and mercy bear the sway, have we a Seraphine glowing hot with affection to resolve the world into the moisture of repentance, to exile through heat the frost and could of sin and infidelity. Notwithstanding so excellent and admirable is our Redeemer, that he in his own person representeth the quality both of a Cherubin, 
joan 1.  and also of a Seraphine: Of a Cherubin, being the word, the light, the understanding of his divine Father, and of the world; of a Seraphine likewise enfolded in our human nature, and lying upon the Altar of the Cross for sacrifice, in the flames and coals of his own love and benevolence. Yet: his difference may be discovered, that our blessed Saviour his humility hath diversly sought to dissemble as it were, and to conceal the splendour of his Cherubins intelligence, as once sleeping on shipboard Turbantibus aequora ventu; as if not attending to the distresses of his Church, sleeping 
Lucret lia. Isal. 3. Num 24.  the lion's sleep, that sleepeth with eyes open and uncovered, that is sleeping in body yet vigilant in heart and mind: accubuit ut lo; couched asleep like to the lion: and also when he suffered his eyes to be veiled in despitious sort by the miscreant Jews; 
joan 19  scorned with these terms, Prophecy unto us, who it was that smoteshee: Yet that, which whas in him seraphical, ardent and charitable, he never did hide or keep in coverture, still manifesting his love to the world in live and effectual means, especially by his death upon the Cross, whereon hanging, he was for his Church in her 
Num. 23.  Pelgrimage by night, through the wilderness of this world, a fiery pillar, both to shine by advertisement and wisdom, and also to burn in love and desire of our good and heatitude.  
And as the thing suffered and endured by our Saviour, was extremely painful, damageable and reproachful, and so required great charity to be endured; 
Charity of Christ to ward his enemies.  so likewise the quality of those considered, for whom he undertook such penalty and loss, it doth show unto us the excessive hight and incomparable degree of charity in him, taking upon him for our sakes, to recover us by his death and passion Generally were we all contaminated with that great and capital sin imparted unto us by our first parent's transgression: many actual and personal crimes had also maintained war a long time in our souls against heaven, and all holies therein; and finally that sacrilegious trespass in the massacring of this divine person, was most horrible and huge; he being one of such excellency both of nature and grace; of grace as well in habit as in action, and yet to dye upon the Cross, for the redepmtion of all such offenders, and for their lives, that sought, wrought and contrived his so ignominious and cruel a death: was not this unkindness, this disloyalty, this outrage of ours against God, sufficient to quench the flames of his love, to beat back the course of his benevolence, and make the sin to withdraw the beams of his gracious and merciful influence? O force of charity that overflowed with breathing flames, all such impediments and traversing trenches! O might of the sun, that pierced by beams, so hard, gross and rude a cloud of our sin and ingratitude!  
2. Whereupon as the fire purged by wind from ashes, and increased by nourishment, 
Catholikeme ditation of the crass.  yieldeth the greater heat, so do the Catholics seek out to discuss in particular the measure of charity showed by Christ upon the Cross, yea and curiously ponder, what degree of grief and dolour, he there endured, to the end th●r they may from thence receive the greater fervour of mutual love, of tenderness, compunction, piety, devotion, to maintain in themselves in some sort answer to that excess of charity, found out in so beneficial a Priest and sacrifice of himself. S. Bernard thus deciphereth the pangs of our Redeemer in his passion. Nowfolloweth the day of the 
Bern. Tom 3. in Do. Palm.  Passion, in the which as our saviaur Christ hath ●aued the wole man, so of all himself he hath framed a saving host: as whes he exposed his body to so many, to so great torments and injuries, 
Bern. Sen ser. 56. in fer. 6. Patasceu. Bern. ser. de Pass.  his soul to a double affection of a most proper and kind sufferance: on this side considering the uncomfortable griefs of the holy women, than the desperation and dispersion of his dssciples. The Cross of Christ seemeth to consist on these sour things: he hath suffered them all for us, who with so great charity had compassion of us Again: In this pas●ien brethren we are to consider three things especially; theworke, the manner of it, and the cause. In the work patiencess commended, in the manner humility, and in the cause charity. Yea so desirous was this our redeeming Champion to purchase our lives by his death, that as noteth S. Athanasius, 
Athan. ser. de Pass.  he gave occasion unto the devil, more fiercely to assault himself: no otherwise than if one espying in his adversary fear to sight, should fayne himself weak, that he might draw him to battle. And therefore a little before his deatb, he began to be perplexed, to be heavy, to desire that the chalice of death might departed from him: he tried that his spirit was ready, but his flesh insi●ne, to the end that our enemy adventuring upon him as man, should meet with the forces of 
D. Tho. 3. pat. q. 46 art. 5.  his divinity. Yet nevertheless he knew that he was to encounter with these harms recounted by the school doctor S. Thomas, and willingly for our sakes made acceptance to endure and undertake them all. Our Saviour hath suffered all manner of human passion, the which may be 〈◊〉 in three sorts First in regard of the parties, of whom he suffered. For he suffered of the 〈◊〉, of the jews, of men, and women, as is manifest of the maid that accused 〈◊〉 Farther 〈◊〉 of the princes and of their servants, of the people, according to that of the Psalm, why have the people been in 〈◊〉? Also be suffered by familiar friends and acquaintance, 
Psal. 2.  as in judas it appeareth manifest betraying him, and in S. Peter denying him. Secondly the same may be 〈◊〉 in regard of those things, which a man may suffer ●●. Christ suffered through his friends forsaking him; he suffered in his fame by blasphemies vitered against him; in his honour and glory by works and contrmelics: In his necessaries, as in that he was despoiled of his very clothes. I ●suffered in his souls by sorrow ●● sins, and fear; in his body by wound is and stripes 〈◊〉 the same may be esteemed according unto the parts of his body in which he suffered. In his bead h 〈◊〉 the priking ●● wne of thorns, in his hands and feet the piercing nails; in his face li●wes and spate; in all his body stripes. Moreover he hath suffered according to all the senses of his body; in the sense of tending in being what and nailed: in his taste through gall and ring 〈◊〉 meiling, crucified in a lethseme place of dead men's scuiles, the mount Caluene; in his learing 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 speeches and mockeries; in 〈◊〉 the, beholding his ● other and 〈◊〉 one be l●ue●, 〈◊〉 All which alf c●ions as they 
The pains of Ch●● his pas●ol. in. regard of his person Care● exp. 4. alt Symbol.  were of themselves great and extreme, so in regard of the person which suffered them, especially of his soul and ●idie, they were most exceeding and surp●sling all other afflictions of mortali●ren Form respect of his soul, when 〈◊〉, as teacheth the Roman Catech●ime, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and therefore he said, may soul sorrews●● cu●● unot death. Neither did the divinity give that secure to the humanity it might have d●nne, infrecing it from annoy, of in diminishing any whit the sharp co●●csiue thereof: for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his paison, a●s there 
D. The 1. pat. q 46 ● 1. 6. Christ the pa 〈◊〉 roast at the fire of ●●●hu latió, retto inwa●er c: any consol. ●on. l ● 12. Dam. l ic. justi Matti in di●●ingo. Try phone. Ti●r cn. 1. Redemptio effect of the Passion. Rom. 4. 1. Cor 15. Apoc. 1. Council Trid. See 6 cap. 7. D Tho: par. q 46 at 3 Grah in Sym. Gen. ●8. Num 20. Christcon●t c●os abuncha of l●sopp, tied with a red 〈◊〉 to the cedar shck. Athanas ho. de Cruse. l co. lcri. de Pass. Aug Tra. 119. in joan.  had been no such 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 with his umanitie Yea the soul neither was permitted to help itself: for as saith the school Doctor; lu other men that arraisie●es, the inward griefen natigated, and any the outward penaltu, by reason's consideration, 〈◊〉 being dersued from the use even for c●s to themseriour; the which happened not in Christ suffering in such sort, as he 〈◊〉 faculty to worig that which was proper unto it, as readeth S Damascene To this if we adjoin the delicacy of complexion in the body of our Saviour, as most passable and ●enfrice, the 〈◊〉 of his person, deserving all good, as rather honour and love in place of these hatmes le et dured, the great charity he bore toward his even yes and torments, may be verified that of the Propheet Hieremie, That there never was such doleut in any one, as in our Saviour Christ. There things doings and parg of affi●ci●ō do were collect diligen●he in pious meditation, to the end we may willingly suffer with Christ, that hath suffered them for us, that we may hate and detest sin, inficting such indignities upon so holy and divine a Redeemer: finally love him, that so wept, did sweat blood, and died for us.  
3. Whereupon although every action and sufferance of our Saviour Christ, were of infinite virtue and prize, in reckoning of the person, by whom it was performed, and so a competent, yea a superabundant ransom and price to satisfy for all man kind, yet in that his holy Passion was the end of all his travels to that effect, the most singular and remarkable thing by him accompl●ssed, as in itself of greatest difficulty, and an emprise of his most surpassing charity, therefore we according to holy writ, a scribe our redemption, our exptation, and delivery from sin to that sacred passion and death of his upon the Cross; taking from thence jacobs' blessing, the Patriatches hands then crossed, to prefigure this our benefit: and what liqu●u● we have to refresh and make settle our cures, scotch so with concupiscence, we receive it from this rock twice beaten and strooken with the rod of the holy Cross And as our blessed Saviour hanging upon the Cross, is to us a glass therein to consider and behold the pu●raitures and forms of all the virtues, as teacheth S. Athar●sus, so in particular in his so great and bitter sufferance, he instructed us to parence, to fortitude in the practice of virtue. For in that, death upon the Cross was most ignominious, deservedly to be infi●cted on the upon slaves, and ba●r offenders, hereupon as speaketh S. Leo, he gave us to understand that no manner of the this to be dreaded of man, the which he did show by brown death upon the Cross. Also S. Augustine: That wood whereunto were nailed the members of Christ suffering, was the chair of himself teaching. The effects of which passion, thus doth sum up S. Athanas. Whilst he so 
Athan. ser. de Passione. D. Tho. l 8. de verit. cap. 20 The harm of the justifying faith in a Protestant. The protestant instcade of a dove hath a crow. Vox ●nim co●ni clamosa est, non geme bunda. Augu. Tra. 6. in johan ca 1. No contrition of commodity with the Protestant. A Protestant is sure believing Christ to be his Christ: that is, Christ his pains & mortification to be his: his grief to be his: by which, as rich enough, he taketh as superfluous his one personal and actual pains mortification, dolour, yea as injurious to those in Christ his honesty be his also, what needeth a Protestant actual honesty. Luther I dell bet. Christ. Luther his crow. Exultant ●u grandis vocibus ut appa rcat quicorui sunt, non columbae. Augu Tra. 6. in johan Luther's catian. Calu in c. 27. Matt. Beza Colloq. pag. 418 So did also Poteus de bruis, burnig crucifix at recordeth S. Bern. Ep. 240.  hange● upon the Cross, he purged the air stretching forth his hands, and the earth he redeemed with his blood, and washed it with the liquor of his own side. The school Doctor S. Thomas thus teacheth: Our Saviour Christ by his passion overcame the devil, whom he bound; conquered hell, the which he spoiled; amaistered the flesh, the which be subdued; subiecte●ed the world▪ the which he contemned; exceeded his torment, the which he endured; and gained heaven the which he opened.  
4. Wonderful is it to consider, how the Protestantish opinion of a justifying faith, infecteth with error the whole censure and esteem almost of all the Articles of Christian belief; in that nothing now in controversy is denied by the Protestanter, as avouched by the Catholic, but hath issue and colour from this wicked ●aith, to which they attribute justification. And as a poisoned liquor once admitted into the stomach, after conveyeth contagion by the vital spirits and current of blood to all members of the body, so Antichrist possessing the Protestants mind with this sense of a justifying faith, thereby impeacheth and striketh to death the whole corpse and bulk of Christianity. In particular, in this only faith, apprehending the justice of Christ, he reposeth the grace and compass of the Gospel, affording no other place to the works of virtue, as to charity, to repentance, to tears of grief and compassion, than what may be judged solely meet for the law, and kill letter thereof: which if it be true, why should a Protestant beholding Christ upon the Cross, exceed the limits and bounds of grace, of the Gospel, not be content with only faith apprehending his righteousness, but thereunto adjoin the penalty, the acerbity of the law, grief and griping pangs of dolour and compassion? Must the jew be in our reckoning of esteem afther the Cross of Christ? Than in that this sole faith doth justify, looking upon the Cross, what use or necessary effect of charity, of repentance, of commiseration: and after gathered flowers, what judgement to grasp the thorny bush? Luther well possessed this sugared sense of doctrine, and applied his iustificatorie faith accordingly to mirth, to security, to joy, to the delights of a pleasant conscience, and refused to yield his heart to the law, thereby to be strooken with a pensive and mournful contemplation of Christ his Passion, or to lend thereto his eyes, to become fountains of brackish tears, or his breast to serve for a furnace vamping out the throbs & sighs of an aggrieved conscience. Not, he restayned the Cross to the gospel, and disdained to apply it to the law, to the smart and rigour of the same. Hear then under the Cross what Theology he uttereth, & how he mourneth as the Turtle having lost her mate, how he seasoneth his mirth with the ta●● mire, how sharp and bitter is the Cross to the breast of a faithful stout Ge●manicall Protestanter. Now a days sayeth he, are to be found not a few, the which to that purpose preach Christ, and read the Gospel, that they may move human affections, as to condole with Christ, to be angry with the jews, and to procure such childish a●● womanish toys. Luther then a good stout German, fortified in faith as I see, and in drink, will not weep or mourn with the dove of Christ viewing the Crucifix, or hate the crime of the Crucifiers, least he should be accounted a child or a woman. Doubtless a resolute fellow, if he were in squadron to march against the great Turk. But what must a man do then? what conceits is he to f●ame, that beholdeth the Crucifix▪ Christ, saith he, to that end aught to be preached, that faith in him be promoted, that Christ be not only Christ to himself, but be Christ to thee and to me. Hear Luther his faith smiles and laughs, having hand on the Crucifix: permitting his crow to seize on carrion, and crieth ou●e, all is mine. But assuredly the Martin buildeth his neaste in the mire: and the crow is gorged with corruption. Can the Cyprian eyes of Caluine abide to afford one dolorous glance toward the Cross. In the death of Christ, saith he, nothing occurreth to me but a spectacle of desperation. So then the Cross of Christ is ready to make a Caluinister and a devil to run mad, and to shroud themselves in hell for fear. I confess speaketh Beza, that with all my heart I detest the Image of the Crucifix, the which is an image of the cruelty of the jews against Christ, and therefore I can not abide it. O devout Genevian, that hath no better eyes to behold Christ on the Cross, or more tender affection to embrace so kind a Redeemer! lastly if a man will contemplate Christ redeeming the world, he must descend to hell, according to the Protestant, he must in pilgrimage with the Puritan departed from the Cross on Caluarie, and there see Christ subject to the devil, suffering hellish torments, despairing, repining at God, blaspheming, and so with a black sanctus recovering the world. The piety of a Protestant than is so massy and heavy, that it must needs descend as low as hell and cave of the devil. But let the trial make issue for truth.  
5 It is admirable to consider the spirit of the Catholic Curche in her busy recognizance 
Catholic use of the Cross Noluit stellam esse in front undelium signum suum, sed crucem suam. Aug. ●ra. 3. in johan. cap. ●. Cyt. l. 3. de In. Amb. lib. 3. de Abr. c. 3.  and memorial she hath always made and now doth, of that great benefit which mankind received from the Cross▪ hoping hereby, besides the piety and charity surrendered to our Saviour, as remarketh S. Cyrill of Alexandria, also to the imitation of Moses praying, and exhibiting the form of a Cross, Abimilech to be vanquished, the ghostly enemy of our souls. This virtue and conquest of ours against all enemies, the Fathers deem presigned and prefigured by the conquest of Abraham atcheeved over certain Idolatrous Princes, overthrowing their forces, and surprising their persons by the number of three hundred & eighteen only of his soldiers. Those, saith S. Ambrose, the Patriarch made choice of, the which he judged worthy of the number of the faithful, which were to believe in the Passion of our Saviour Christ: For the Greek letter ●. Tau: Doth signify three hundred, the some of eighteen do express these characters I N. Likewise S. Pauline. Abraham did overthrow those princes his adversaries, not in power of 
Paul ep. 2. add Sever.  his legions, but then in the Sacrament or mystery of the Cross, the which number of his three hundred men, is declared by the Greek letter T. Tau. In the virtue of which mystery also once the Ark, or deigned to escape the deluge, being made of the length of three hundred Cu●●●s, did float above, as now the Church doth sail over the billows of the world. Hereupon the Catholic Church in her prime and purity took all occasions to draw out the picture of the Cross, to use the pious ceremony thereof, as a trophy of Christ his victory, and a protestation to the world of her devotion. The Cross, saith S. Chrysostome, we place 
Chrys. ●ho. de Crnee ador.  about our bed, & every where wether we go. And as ordinarily soldiers do not dine with out their arms, nor sleep, so do we now, having about our bed, the Cross as a sword, upon the door as a bar, in every part of the house, as a brickwall and a defence thereof, then inward and outward parts with the Cross do we ●hield and guard. S. Cyrill of Jerusalem thus recounteth 
Ciril. Care. 12. & 4 Illum.  the Catholic usance and practice. Let us not now be ashamed to confess Christ crucified, but rather confidently draw we out the same with our fingers upon our foreheads, and in all parts else let the Cross be made; as upon the bread we eat, upon the cup we drink, in our going forth, at our return, reposing ourselves to sleep, and rising: thereby is a custody of great strength given to poor men, and to infirm without their labour's, in that by God his ordinance, this grace is a sign of the faithful, and the terror of the devils: for by this sign did he triumph. Boldly thew it out then, for when those ●iends shall see the Cross, they will call to mind the person crucified. Hereupon proceedeth the devotion of the Primitive Church 
Gen. 28. 1. Reg. 17. Exod. 15. 2. Reg. 10. Plin. epi ad Traian.  towards the Cross of Christ, as instrument of our redemption, as to the ladder of jacob, the sling and sword of David, the palm tree in Helim, the wood of Elizeus, the Altar of God; in that as a preservative against corporal infirmity, as reporteth Pliny, they faithful wore in secrecy a piece thereof about their necks, of a parcel of ou● of the nails lapped in bombast. Of which dispersion, or rather multiplication 
Ciz. Ca●ec. 10. & 4. Illum.  of certain small parcels of the Cross, through the world, thus writeth S. Cirill. The wood of the Cross is witnessed by us at this day remaining with us, and with others, who according to their faith retain some quantity thereof; whereupon in a manner this Cross now hath filled the world. And for a protestation and acknowledgement of the benefit 
Tertul. l. 2. ad v●orem ca 4.  received by the Cross, Christians ordinarlie imprint the figure thereof in their foreheads, as in an eminent place, not ashamed to profess the precious, the glorious 
Lib 3. con judaeos. count Marrion. Cyp. ep 56. de lap. Euseb. l 2 Hi Prudent: Can. de pot Crucis Chryso. ho. 3. de paen. Hom. 2 ad pop.  ignominy thereof; Christians thereby, as saith Tertullian, according to the prophecy of Ezechiell, being marked with the sign of Tau: Let those head be defended, saith S. Cyprian, that the sign of God be kept without dearment. Also Constantine and his soldiers, bore as cognisances of Christianity, Crosses upon their helmets & waged war under a principal standard of the Cross, as record Eusebius, Prudentius, and others Heretofore, saith S Chrysostome, Kings were once impious persecutors, but now their piety mounteth to heaven; when as entiring into the Church, they depose their diadems, & draw forth on their foreheads the Cross of Christ; namely Theodosius the father, & the son of Theodosius, both for religion & piety admirable Princes. This was the counsel of the sam● good Doctor: Going out of the house, say I renounce thee Satan, & then cross thyself in the forehead: for so neither man nor devil meeting with thee, can hurt thee, appearing thereby armed & defended. Et because the the sign and badge of a Christian was the Cross, therefore in that Serapis, the Egyptian god, was marked therewith upon his breastplate. Saint Hierome said, Now the Egyptian Scr●p●s is become a Christian But is not Antichrist in the Protestanter clean adverse 
Hier. ep. ad Let.  and opposite to this Christian and Catholic piety, abolishing as superstitious this religious use and ceremony of the Cross, not erecting it in places of frequentation, not signing their bodies or houses with the same, but rather endeavouring as enemies of the Cross, to exclude all custom and memory thereof from the eyes and 
Ruffel l. 2 ca 28. Protestant's enemy of the Cross. Alan. Cop. Dial 4. cap. 3.  minds of Christians? Yea Luther affirmed, that if he had all the particles of the holy Cross in his hand, he would cast them thither, where no man should ever discover them, as telleth us Alan Cope Is not this fury of impiety a way and means to exclude from our cogitations the Cross of Christ, and all his pain endured thereon? Doubtless it is; and so a fit preparement for misprisall of the Cross, and finally for Antichristian infidelity. Yea by this Protestantish contempt and oblivion of the Cross, is avoided in the behalf of Pagans and Ethinkes, a great argument, wherewith the Fathers in the Primitive Church proved Christ to be God and man: in that no less than divine power could bring it to pass, that the Cross otherwise so base and infamous, could be used so ordinarily in men's actions, so stately on Prince's diadems, so sacredlie 
Theo. Phillip in cap. 19 joan  in rites of religion, unless Christ true God, and true man, had sanctified it, and borough it to that exchange and perfection. Once it was to a jew a thing abominable 
Deut. 21. Chrys ho 84. inio Turrian. l. quod Christ. unt Deus.  to touch a Cross, the instrument of an accursed death, but after Christ Passion, as sayeth Saint Chrysostome; All men are more adorned with Crosses, than they with diadems beset with precious stones; And it is not only every where drawn forth, but it is desired, it is be loved, all man are careful of it, every where it shineth on the walls of houses, in roofs, in books, in 〈◊〉 and villages in places which are inhabited and not inhabited. Therefore I would know of a Pagan, 〈◊〉 the sign of accursed death and punishment, is so desired of all, if the virtue of him crucified be not great? See then how the Protestantish impiety banding war and defiance against the Cross, fighteth Antichristianlie for infidelity, and for the disgrade and neglect of our Saviour Christ. Petrus de Bruse, an infamous and condemne● 
Bern. ep. 240.  heretic by S. Bernard, and the whole Church, was a Protestant; who upon pretence that the Cross was an instrument of the jewish malice against Christ, burned as many Crosses, as he could get, roasted flesh at the fire in despite, and sent it to his friends for a repast. An heretic he was of the humour of a Protestant, odious and execrable to all Christians, and worth●lie burned alive after for this sacrilegious injury against the Cross.  
6. And as there is frequent use of the Sacraments in the Catholic Curche, so therein 
Use of the Cross in the Sacraments.  oftentimes is used the ceremony of the Cross: partly to call to our minds the passion of our Lord, and partly to declare, that all efficacy and working of sanctity by the Sacraments, are caused by the price of the Cross, issuing from thence, as fountain 
August. tract. 118. in joan. li 22 Ciu. c. 8. Chryso. hom. deado. Cruee  and principal occasion. Unless the sign of the Cress, sayeth Saint Augustine, be used, as impressed on the foreheads of thee believers, or in the water, by which they are regenerated, or on the oil, with which they are anointed, or upon the Sacrifice, by which they are nourished, nothing of them as orderly is performed. So also S. Chrysostome. By the Cross are perfected such mysteries, as are performed by us, or appertain unto us: As if once be baptised, the Crossess at hand, if the mystical food be to be eatin, when one is to tak● holy Orders of the Clergy, or at any other divine affair, the Cross is used. For which cause we make the Cross in houses, upon the walls, upon the doors, and upon our foreheads most studiously. Whereupon the Cross is termed a seal or a sign, for that all testaments and statutes we receive, we seal up with the same, as with the Prince's ring or signett, so that thereunto no harm dare approach. If we order any of the laity, and consecrated him Priest, after many prayers calling upon assistance of the Holy Ghost; we seal him up with the sign of the Cross, as it were shutting up in a safe place the heavenly gift to him imparted. And in process of discourse, he compareth the Cross carried before the Bishop and Priests in their sacred functions, to a whip or to a sticklers straffe, that frighteth away the devils and their temptations. Which ceremony 
Euseb. li. 1. de vita Constant cap. 2●. Hist. l. 9 ca 8. ●. do vita Constant. 2 c. 78. Lactantio l. a. c. 26. Ruf. l. 10. ca 8. Epi. ●naeres. 30 Cyprt ad De●et Athanas. ● de human. verbi. Chryso. ho. 5. cont. jud. Socrat. lib. 7. Hist. Romanun labarum finis laboris, an end of labour Phil. 3. The holy week. S. Augu. epist. 119. cap. 14. Attend igltur Sacratissimun triduum Crucifixi. S. Epip. haeres 78 calleth it serumanam pascha●s.  of crossing, and of bearing the Cross, we gather to he approved by almighty God, and to have been inspired to the Church from the Holy Ghost, for that many miracles from heaven have been wrought thereby, and for the allowance thereof. So Constantine beheld the Cross as a covenant betwixt him and God, in promise that he should vanquish his enemies, as recordeth Eusebius: In this sign shalt thou overcome. The which sign of the Cross, as means of his victory, he publicly after erected in Rome, and matle it the trophy of his christianity. Also Eusebius reporteth, how that miraculously one was shelded in fight against the flying dantes of the enemy, carrying the ensign of the Cross. Lactantius, Ruffin, and Epiphanius record, that the sign of the Cross, hath made the oracles, and devils in them mute, and to have broken the enchantments of evil spirits. Yea Saint Cyprian, S. Athanasius, challenge the Pagan infidels, to come and experience the same when they will; and they shall see, that by force of the Cross, the devils fly away, soothsayings ceaseth, conjurations and wi●ch crafts lie frustrated. Likewise Saint Chrysostom relateth how that this sign of the Cross, broke open certain gates in his father's days, avoided poisons, and cured men bitten with wild beasts. So then as the sign of the Cross, was a token of salvation & happiness, as writeth Socrates with the Egyptians; so now among Christians it is most effectually a cognisance of truth, of religion, of preservation both of body and soul. To this consideration and practice, how in devotion may be equivalent the Protestanies' contempt of the Cross, and exclusion ef it from ou●e all ri●e of religion, deeming ●t superstitious to display the same upon the foreheads of those, that be baptized? Inimi●● Crucis Christ●: Enemies of the Cross of Christ?  
7. And although our use of the Cross be in this sort frequent, and thereof daily ceremony made in our devotions, yet allot we peculiarly to pieti● to wards the Passion of Christ, the yearly season of that time, wherein our Saviour suffered his bitter Passion, as in that week especially before Ester, called vulgarly the Holy week, recommended by S. Augustin and others to our devotion. From hence also proceeded the ordinary fast of Friday, sometimes profane, by dedication of it to Venus, as Rupertus 
Rupert l. 6. de diuin off●c. 1. Tertul. conc. Prax. cap. 14 Augu. ●p. ●. 6.  with others Doth consider, and now sacred and devoted by religious austerity to the passion of our Redeemer: the which the Primitive church did consecrated with fasting, & stationibus, as sayeth Tertullian, pilgrimages or stations. No man doubeth, writeth Saint Augustine, [but that our Saviour suffered on a friday: The which day therefore fitly is deputed to fasting.] And as the jews on this day provided necessaries for the ensuing 
Orig. bom. 10 in Levit.  Sabbath, wherein they rested, so this life of ours is as it were a friday, to gather the fruits of the Cross, and to 'cause our eternal Sabbath and repose in heaven. But of the holy week maketh mention Saint Epiphanius. [By the space of six days before 
Epi. Haeres. 75.  Ester, all the people useth only dry meats, at night eating bred and salt & drinking water.] To which austerity and band of tradition opposed themselves certain heretics even in those days [When we Cathol●kes, saith he, lie upon the ground, use temperance, afflictions, dry meats, prayers, watchings and fastings, and by holy mortifications procure health of the soul, they from the morning till night glut themselves, laughing with scorn at those, who accomplish this sacred practice of the holy week.] So Aerius an arch heretic derided such penal compassion with our Saviour dying upon the Cross, as superstitious, and injurious to the liberty of his gospel, imputing no season to this fast, but as prescribed his fancy, especially on Sunday choosing to abstain. Wherhfore seeing the Protestants abolish that strict observance, and rigour of piety on the holy week, on friday, and in the lent, so in ure with us, how do they keep in memory equally the Passion of our Saviour, or procure in themselves the like charity towards so great a benefit of the Cross!  
8. Finally the very sum and p●th of our religion being the dreadful sacrifice 
The Sacrifice of the Mass a memorial of the Cross.  of the Altar, daily celebrated in our churches is a most lively, fresh, and efficacious remembrance of the Passion of our Saviour Christ: when as the people acknowledge that sacrifice in real presence of the same host, to signify unto them his death upon the Cross. The divine body of Christ, reposed upon the Altar, and his sacred blood contained in the chalice in out ward show and signification of the words of consecration, as it were one being according to place separate from the other, cry unto us, that Christ died for us, and shed his precious blood upon the Altar of the Cross for our Redemption. Is not Christ himself more than a picture of himself, and so present upon the Altar in oblation, fit to recall to our minds his one death and passion upon the Cross? For the Priest, as speaketh Saint Cyprian, [in imitation of Christ, doth sacrifice 
Cyp. ll. 2. ep. 3.  upon the Altar a sacrifice true and full to God the Father, so offering as before he saw Christ to offer himself] Can the Genevian bread and drink equalise this forceible & strong representation of Christ? It can not not. Why then, with what face do these men inculcate unto us the passion of Christ, his redemption, and satisfaction, so abolishing and rasing out all memory and devotion thereof? In deed they have specum p●etatis a colour of religion to that purpose. And why? that they may deceive the more potentlie: yet in effect, virtutem eius abnegant, they break and deny all efficacy of the same: 
jud. 1.  and as Antichrist prescribeth, they do endeavour to bury in oblivion the sacrifice of the Cross, to conculcate the Cross: and only when necessity of opposition from the Catholic urgeth to mention the same in words, or upon an hypocritical show to semme not wholly impious, to turn up the white of the eye towards the welkin, as it were an outward sign, that their soul's mount to heaven, there to apprehended the passion and mediation of our Redeemer. Let us try now, which party in contrition of heart, and also amorous affect of will doth most regard Christ upon the Cross, working 
Charity of the Catholic towards Christ on the Cross.  there our redemption.  
9 Even as the greater fire heateth most, so that immensity of love, which upon the Cross did show towards our kind Christ jesus, doth admirably in flame any well disposed 
Ex hac deformitate Redētoris nostri manavit precium decotis vestri. Aug. de Bono viduit. cap. 19 Gen. 27. 2. Reg. 18. Can. 5. Gen. 29, 1. Reg. 18.  heart, with the like heat, the which attendeth still in mind seriously contemplating the same. This excess by Jerusalem upon mount of Caluarie exhibitd Christ, as most beneficial to us, so also most amiable; when as the sun covered in a sackcloth shineth the clearer, jacob attired in rogue skins, breatheth out a most sweet and odiriferous smell; and if ever this our Absalon was beautiful, now he is in the highest degree amiable, hanging by the hairs of his love, upon the tree of the Cross: his beauty a perfect mixture of white & read: white in virginal purity by nature, read in his own blood, by gift and affection. In which dispense of goodness from our suffering Redeemer, we do not behold the seven years service of jacob for the marriage of Rachel, not the kindness of jonathas towards David, with hazard of losing his king father's good will, not the inflamed desire of Moses to save his countrymen the jews by his 
Exod. 32.  own accurse of himself, but above all these, the tenderness of piety in out Saviour Christ God & man towards us for our sakes, not expecting any commodity, exposing his fame 
job 1. Matth. 17.  to such dishonours, & his person to such cruel pangs of horrible death. Naked with job he entered the world, & naked despoiled of all ornaments, yea necessaries, was he forced to abandon the same. But if the iniurionse world had bereaved him of no more than it gave him, the loss had been more tolerable: but to despoil him of that soul, which God the Father bestowed on him, of that living body fashioned by the Holy Ghost, & by his mother the virgin, far above the worlds ability, exceed all measure & conceit of iniquity. Base miscreants hale him bound to the judgement seat, of the same quality others strike him, spit upon him, rend him as a lasour with whips, cast him upon the dunghill of men's contempt, nail him to the Cross & kill him! Nevertheless it was not the 
Christ died for love.  force of the Philistines that so enfeobled our Samson, that extinguished his eyes of life, not any cunninng secrecy of policy, wrought him this despite, but his own love was his own enemy, his tyrant, his executioner, his jew, his Dalila, and bloody Gentile, his bear and his lion, he permitting all such damages & penalties, for the love of 
Luc. 9  our ease, lives, and recovery. Once in mournful tune he lamented and complained, that the foxes had holes to shroud themselves in by retract from travelle or harmful pursuit: that likewise the birds of the air enjoyed nests for their securities; & yet that he, prince of all, possessed no house, wherein to cover his doleful head: and now hath charity made him inferior to the fox or bird, taking from him flight to save himself, and clipping his wings otherwise able to escape what net on earth might be displayed by malice or subtility of man's machination. Yea this love so strongly breathed a main vamp out of his sacred breast, that it made him forget his own estate, and to turn his cogitations wholly to work good to his distressed Apostles. Whereupon most effectually he recommanded them to his eternal Father, praying: I do not ask thee, that 
Charity of Christ. joan 7.  thou take them out of the world, but that thou d●● preserve them from evil. But thou most loving Redeemer, for their & our sakes wishest of thy Father, to encounter with death, to quit this world, to lose thy own delights, which were sometimes to converse with the sons of men: thirsting after the baptism of thy own blood, afflicted, straightened with 
Prou. 8. Luc. 12.  the eager desire thereof, and speedy occurrence with the Cross: And as if the jew & Gentile had not been sufficient to procure thee affliction, thou dost permit one part of thyself, to wit the appetite sensitive to abhor death; the other as reasonable to choose it, and so to meet in adverse forces, that at the joining of contrary arms, they cause in conflict, thy sacred body to sweat water & blood; I mean those drops of liquor, as precious streams worthy of a million of worlds▪ Like as the heart chased & sore embossed, near the fall, is said to weep pearls & precious stones. Yet amidst all these waves & agonies, must not by the be forgotten. Saint Peter his fall, them having a care with 
Marc. 14.  the basilisk, looking upon him, to kill sin in his soul, to melt his heart with repentance, and 'cause his holy affection of amendment to gush out of his eyes. Hereupon Saint Bernard considering the dignie of person in our Saviour, the dying Phoenix, and also the extremity of misery he endured for our loves, exclaimeth. [O Christ most 
Bern. serm. de pass.  low, and most high, O most humble, and stately, O the contempt of man, and glory of the Angels!] Therefore the meditation of Christ his passion stirreth us up to charity, and to the love of God, we finding in the carcase of a dead lion the sweet honey 
Iud●. 14.  comb of comfort, of affection, and in him dead we dwelling with the Bee, making her allodgement in the comb pasted by the Holy Ghost. How can we be cold and frozen in hardness of heart towards God, sithence that we behold our Christ, as it were in the firebushe of the Cross, so inflamed with love towards us? How may departed from our cogitations his pains on the Cross, his streams of pure and innocent blood, his agony of death, and expiration of his sacred soul! Not, doubtless the Catholic will be still reposed at the foot of the Cross, inflamed with the fiery light thereof, as of a pillar shining in this our passage to heaven. Whereupon surprised and amaistered with a loving charity, we in ourselves resemble his sacrifice of affection, and hear him willingly sing his swans song and melody, thus playing upon his harp of stretched and well tuned strings.  

Flecte genu, lignumque crucis venerabile adora 
Lactan. Carm de Passi.   
Flebilis, innocu● terramque cruore madentem  
o'er petens humili, lachrymis suffunde subortis;  
Et me nonnunquam de●oto in cord, meosque  
Fer monitus, sectare meae vestigia vitae.  
With bended knee to sacred Cross,  
To ground bedewed with guiltless blood,  
Think honour of thy tears no loss,  
To sprinkle that place where groweth thy good.  
Let heart in mild devotion bend,  
Bear me and my prescribed law,  
That life according to good intent,  
My footsteps may still hold in awe.   
The jew mourned from the heart, understanding of the loss of the Ark, and spoil of their temple: and shall not we make dole in view of Christ on the Cross, especially when our own sins and hands ha●e effected so vile and underworthie a treachery against our kyndest Lord and Redeemer! Commendable & renow●ed was the devotion of the Cardinals of Rome, who hearing that the holy land was surprised by Saladine, 
Annal. Baron. An. 1187. pag. 987.  king of Babylon, the Cross of Christ to he gained among other spoils, & used by the Tyrant in mockage of our religion, made a vow never to mount on horseback in state, until that nature soil of Christ was recovered: and that for grief at the loss: which vow they kept for the space of Twenty and seven years. This, this is our Catholic spirit, and the proper tune of a faithful dove: To which efficacy of charity giveth great hindrance the Protestantish manner of justification, in that it deemeth 
Can 2.  for expiation and forgiveness of sin, Christ not to be exposed to our affection and love, but only to our faith; the which solely justifying maketh needless the access of charity, without the which he thinketh a man's sins to be forgiven him, and perfect justice attained. What use them of charity, of the fiery beams of such a virtue: It being no better than a mortal sin excusable by faith, & of no necessity to justification, salvation, or for any reward?  
10. Neither doth the Catholic in contemplation of the Cross merely endeavour 
Contrition & grief in the Catholic in meditating upon the Pas. Can. 2. Gemunt in amore columbae Aug. Tra. 6 in johan. c 1. Gen. 22. Ephrem. de Pass.  to hear himself in love toward so bountiful, a Redeemer, and his frank benevolence thereupon, but also becometh thereby a turtle do●e to mourn and lament at the view of these our sins, the which gave occasion to such cruel entreaty towards our Saviour Christ. For as once the brethren of joseph sprinkled his garment with blood, so did our sins make purple the blessed body of our Redeemer with his own blood, joined to the loss of his life, although his divine nature escaped ●ntouched, as joseph did in person: and Isaac before, redeemed by the death of a ram taken in the thorns [Let us all come,] saith devout Ephrem the Syrian Deacon, [and wash our bodies with sobbing tears, for that our Lord the king of glory was delivered to death for our impieties.] Whose funerals in dol● did solemnize nature itself, to 'cause in us the 
Matth. 27.  greater grief thereat: as the sun clad in darkness, the earth trembling, the pillars ●ent and torn. Embrace we his thorns to gore in us the ulcer and aposteme of unlawful concupiscence, and so by repentance to make issue for the corruption. Vhereupon S. Pauline. [Better unto me are the wounds of my friend, the which Christ received 
Paulin ●p. 2. add Sever.  that he might heal me, than the desired kisses of mine enemy, by which the deceitful flesh doth flatter me with her delights; indeed my enemy rather, as a judas, by a treacherous kiss endeavouring to draw me into captivity.] Lament we that our offences have wrought so great an injury and despite against Christ, as to have broken the crystal box of his humanity, receptacle of the divinity, that they have slain the Physician of the world, dishonoured the mirror of Angels, and murdered the heir of the heavenly vineyard. When the Patriarch jacob was to part with his tender 
Matth. 21.  and young son Benjamin, thus he spoke to his elder children, who were to convey him in to Egypt: [If any adversive befall him in that country, to which you travel, you will bring my grey hairs with grief to hell] In like sort let our most grave 
Gen. 42.  and mature considerations descend as low as hell, and then we will grieve, that our sins from thence have called up Satan to contrive the death and passion of our bountiful Redeemer. And not only our sins were they which inflicted upon his sacred person these calamities and indignities, patiently and willingly borne by himself, but also he hath pardoned them in us by his death, and sealed the quittance with his divine blood. Whereupon just cause have we to bewail our offences, so injurious, yea so outrageous against him. To which contrition and compunction of heart at the 
The Protestant will not mourn.  spectacle of the Crucifix, is opposite the justifying faith of a Protestanter, ordained for mirth, not for myrrh and dolour, for joy and security, not for tears and dread, having already possessed in a precedent faith all good in Christ, by him being pardoned all sins, and he made a believer just, & child of God. Whereupon consequently Luther and Caluine make no account of our Catholic contrition or repentance, consisting of a grief for our sins; and avouch that their justified person hath no reason to lament, being already in so good an estate, and placed in that freedom of the children of God: but admit repentance only, the which consisteth in a purpose for the ensuing time to abstain from sin: so loath is Antichrist in the Protestanter that Christians should mourn, or rend their hearts for their offences The joy then of their justifying faith disdaineth to weep or grieve in meditation of the Cross. Before such dole, the Protestant by faith is assured that his sins are remitted, and so needeth no tears or shower of divine waters to wash them out of his soul; Christ apprehended abundantly sufficing in him to that effect. 
Mortification of the Catholic at the meditation of the Cross.   
11. Moreover the Catholic viewing Christ on the Cross by faith, doth not only lament his own evil facts, the which crucified him, but also seeketh by mortification and conformity to his sufferings, to chastise sensuality, to live in austerity and restraint. Once nature was so well furnished that the earth of itself in Paradise, through a native Fountain, abounded with all manner of fruits, but after by sin changed became unto us beneficial only through the pains of tillage, rain from clouds, and men's toil some endeavours: so in us during the flower of original justice virtue was practised with ease, issheving from the same, as from an enjoyed spring head, but sithence the loss thereof, austerity and pains m●st soak and dry up the over flowing humour of wanton concupiscence, and we are to become white in innocency with the linen cloth by stroke of a penitential life. To which good purpose most effectually serveth our blessed Saviour displayed upon the Cross; who as it were the serpent erected by Moses, through a faithful aspect in us, is to give us recure. That serpent in substance no serpent, but a resemblance thereof; so Christ on the Cross 
Num. 21.  in show seemeth a malefactor, a man of sin, yet most pure and innocent. The serpent was hurtful to the jews and odious unto them, yet raised aloft in figure of brass, became amiable and healthful: so the first man Adam was once damageable unto us, and also sufferances of persecution hateful and dispriseable, yet now in Christ the second Adam, the same nature is sovereign, and amaritude in his person highly prised and recommended. Wherhfore if we behold all unlawful pleasure punished in him, and by his Cross reprehended, how may we entertain the same, and bear by choice there of defiance to his penalties and satisfactions? Plutarch doth report, that Lic●rgus 
Plut. in vita Licurg●.  having enacted most rigid and severe laws for the Lacedæmonians, by a certayno young man, whose delights thereby were restrained, was stricken upon the face with a staff, and one of his eyes beaten out with the blow. But he presently did show his visage so imbrued in blood, and his eye lost, to the people; whereupon the Citizen's were much incensed, and beside the chastisement of the offender, enacted a decree, that from that time in solemn meetings there should be no use of any stra●e, in detestation of the forenamed fact. Much more are we forbidden to make show of the arrogancy of our sense and flesh in any manner of action, the which hath so direfullie by torments and death entreated our Saviour Christ: as teacheth Saint Ambrose, all virtues appearing 
Ambr. ser. 55.  in our Saviour upon the Cross, reprehending and dissuading any vice that may reign in our flesh. If any man will come after me, saith our Saviour, let him deny himself 
joan. 11.  daily take up his Cross and follow me. It is the desire of Christ, that by compassion, by mortification we conform willingly ourselves to his sufferances upon the Cross. Also S. Peter. Christ hath suffered for us, leaving to you an example, that you ●ollow his foosteps: 
Aug lib Sent. Sen. 68  And therefore Saint Augustine affirmeth that copious sweat of blood issuing from the sacred body of of Saviour in the garden, to have signified the diverse martyrdoms in Church, his mystical body, to ensue. To which example conveniently likewise, the 
2. Gor. 9 Col. 1. The Clergy is to be conformed to the Passion of Christ. Baron. tom. 9 pag. 11. Concil. Nic. 2. act. vlt. Grc. in cap. 9 job. The Catholic Phoenix and dove.  Apostle S. Paul bore in his body the marks of Christ his sufferances, and supplied in his own flesh, that which was wanting to the sufferings of Christ. And as all sorts of Christian people are to signify this conformity of compassion, so especially those it behoveth of the clergy: in regard whereof the holy Curche hath ordained sundry things thereunto appertaining: as that such persons and Christian Nazarites should go weeded in black in side gearments; profess the glory of Christ his Cross with Saint Peter, bearing a crown framed upon the head, by cutting of the hairs from thence. The which mark and note the profane Sacracens in Spain were wont in our Priests and others to deride & scorn, as reporteth Lucas Tudensis: and also so did the impiause heretics in the east called image-breakers. But certain, true, and grateful unto us Catholics is this saying of Saint Gregory: By the Cross are all redeemed, and it remaineth, that all, which will with Christ by redeemed, endeavour to reign with him, that they be crucified. Gaudetque morifestinus in ●rtum.  

The Phoenix toyeth to dye, 
Claudian. de Phaenice.   
Forth with by birth to fly.   
Unto which doctrine of mortification, as the effect of faith regarding Christ on the 
The Protestant enemy of mortification.  Cross, is utterly opposite a Protestantish belief of justification. For why should such rigour be used, if only faith do justify, and these ac●rbities and mortifications? If justice can not be lost or increased, to what end serveth the pemaltie of the Cross, and the hard usage of the flesh? And therefore in that we attribute more to this myrrh of mortification, the Protestanres pronounce, that we know not how to look upon the Cross, how to gain commodity by meditation thereof, in that only faith justifieth, a thing refused by us; not penance or sufferance with Christ. And hereupon 
Illit. 1. par. Glau.  avouched Illiricus, that his contrieman Saint Hierome practising to the example of Christ crucified so great restraint of his flesh and punishment thereof, not to have known the use of the Cross, the benefit thereof, or redemption by Christ. We, say they, behold the Lord on the Cross in liberty of spirit, not in a womanish affection of sorrow, of commiseration, of mortification, but in joy of heart, deeming that Christ his tears, his sorrows may serve; and we in him are to be merry, as assured of our salvation. And to this end of delight doth he expose himself on the Cross to our views, to apprehended him and his penalites by faith as our harvest, riches and jubilee. The gospel, the gospel is preached from the Cross, not the law. Assuredly the Protestant taketh for the Cross the profane Idol of Venus, placed where the Cross was before erected, by the appointment of Adrian the Emperor, to abolish the memory thereof by the worship of wanton venery, as record Ruffinus and Severus Sulptius 
Ru●●i. l 1. Hist cap. 7. Scuer. l. 2. Hi. pag. 152. 149.  Hear is the Protestantish laughter, although mortal to the soul, as that of the Sardonians: this is the sugar of his Cross, and the delights of their pleasing faith to apprehended Christ, and no more a do. Alas, they be enemies of the Cross, slaves to their own bellies, lovers of worldly carnalities, and run in brutish race to their end of destruction, as avoucheth the Apostle. We behold Christ on the Cross, to weep and 
Phil. 3.  lament for our sins, to punish sins in ourselves, to abhor sins, as occasions of so great a dishonour and smart to Christ, to derive grace from the Cross, to keepet the commandments, to the desire of mortification: The Protestanter applieth the Cross to wickedness, as a lure for iniquity, and a warranty for all intemperance: he apprehending all that is in Christ as his own by faith, it sure before repentance, with out compassion and mortification, and believing in him obedience, he observeth the 
Luther lib. de libert. Ch●ist.  commandments, when he violateth them, he keepeth them in Christ, when in his own person he offendeth bestiallie against them: finally secured of his justice, that it will never be lost, remaineth at the sort of the Cross buried in a fleepe, reckless dissolute and wholly defiled.   

Hope levelling course to the benefit of justification, acknowledged by the Catholic, as consisting of a gracious quality in hearing in the soul, aimeth at a purpose worthy itself, and almighty God: contrariwise the Protestantish reputation of this grace is not so serviceable to to such a good affection towards our heavenly benefactor.  
CHAPTER. XXIIII.  
HAVING hitherto disputed of such virtuous dispositions as are requisite to the 
Grace of justification a great grace.  grace of justification, it remaineth we entreat of this grace itself, and so make a dew reckoning of the value and worth thereof, for exercising of our Hope towards almighty God, giver and author of the same. Doubtless we are to esteem of this grace, it being the most principal perfection in man from God, as making him 
'tis 3.  his child, participiaut of the divine nature, washed from sin, and a mansion place of the Holy Ghost, as a thing of great worth and dearest account. Thus therefore do we accept of the grace of ●ustification, according to the verdict of the sacred Council of Trent, that we deem it not to be only Remission of sins, but moreover sanctification 
Concil. Taid. Sess. 6. c 6. justification described.  and renovation of the inward man by a volutarie acceptance or receiving of grace and holy gifts: wher● by a men of one unrighteous, is made just of an enemy of God, a friend unto him, that according to hope he may be an inheriter of everlasting life. In which description we place the form of justice not in any work or man, in any observance of the law, natural, divine, or positive, but merely and precisely in an habitual grace of quality infused into a prepared soul by the Holy Ghost, in price and desert of the passion of our Saviour Christ. This point of Catholiked doctrine is proved by all such places of Scripture, as pronounce in the justification of a sinner the Holy Ghost to be given, to 
joan. 14. Tit. 3.  devil and reside in man, to be powered into his heart, to wash, cleanse and purify it to sign and mark it by a divine impression. All which phrases and forms of speech do demonstrate some quality in a justified person, bestowed on him, residing in him, and inherentlie perfecting the Image of God in his soul. He hath given us of his own spirit: 
joan. ep. 1. c 4 joan 14. 1. joan. ●. 2. Cor 1. Rom. 8.  we will come to hime, sayeth Christ, and we will make our abode with him. The seed of God is in him: God hath signed us, and given a pledge of the spirit in our hearts You have received the spirit of adoption of the sons of God, in which we cry Abba, father: You have been sinners, but you are washed, but you are sanctified, in the name of our Lord jesus Christ, and in the spirit of our God. In regard whereof baptism is called the laver of regeneration, in that it purifieth by an infused gift of a justifying grace all duly baptised, yea children, as avoucheth S. Augustine against Pelagius: in whom can not be any actual faith apprehending 
'tis 3 August. lib. de Baptism.  the extern justice of Christ, and therefore from baptism they receive inherent justice, as reacheth the same Doctor. Also this verity is contested and assured by all such passages of scripture as report, man by the grace of justification to be translated from the estate of iniquity to justice, from darkness to light, from Bel●all to Christ, and to be as sayeth Saint Peter, Consortes of the divine nature: In that God hath bestowed on them most great and precious promises. Which mutation in man and arrival to so high a 
2. Pet. 1.  quality doth import some renovation, and alteration inherent in him; for that all outward justice imputed hath no contrarity with sin, neither doth in deed and act perfect any whit man's nature, as shall hereafter be declared. In respect whereof Saint Paul counterposeth justice by Christ, to original sin by Adam: For as many are become sinners by the disobedience of one, so by the obedience of one many are made just. No doubt, but the seat of sin through Adam his fall, is man his soul and will, and therefore the same was to be freed by Christ from such harm, and in that self same 
Rom. 5. The fathers avouch justice inherent. Dion. de ece. hi●r. cap. 2 Chry ho de baptis. apud Aug l. 1. cont. jul.  place was to reign and command the justice of Christ, through his gift inherentlie affecting and adorning it.  
2. To th●s tenor of belief the Fathers generally have written: namely Saint Dionyse, calling justification statum an estate of the soul by a most secret and ineffable operation of God: which estate and permanency of quality he affirmeth to be acquired in Baptism and so must needs be inherent therein & resident in the soul througe information of form and perfection. We baptize infants, saith Saint Chrysostome, that unto them, being not contaminated with sin, may be given sanctity, justice, adoption, inheritance to be brethren of Christ and his members. The which can not be understood of an actual grace in children, but only of an habitual and abiding benefit imparted in baptism, and by the same. Saint Cirill teacheth justification to be a certain framing 
Ciril. li. 4. Isa. cono. 2.  or fashioning of Christ in a justified soul, by a perfection of beauty and comeliness therein reforming the image of God: The holy Ghost reforming us by sanctification in himself. Saint Augustine is most plentiful and pregnant to approve the same. He avoucheth 
Aug. ep. 55. ad Coscu●inum.  children in baptism to receive occultissimam, a secret grace, the which the Holy Ghost, latenter infundit, mystically poureth in them, and so their justice is inherent. And generally he affirmeth, that God justificationem nostram etiam intrinsecus operatur, do●th effect intrinsically our justification. He also compareth a justified soul unto a torch lightened 
Aug. in Ps. 17. L. 2. contran par. men. cap. 14. Tract. 24. In jahan. cap. 3. How Christ is our justice.  by God, according to the Psalmist: Thou shalt enlighten my lamp: Wereupon thus he doth interpret these words of the Prophet: judge me O Lord according to my justice: It is said, according to my justice, and my innocency which is upon me; as if a burning or lightened lamp should say: judge me according unto the flame which is upon me, that is, not by which I am, but by which I shine kynaled by Allm●ghtie God. Than is justice inherent, against the Protestanter, because in every one that is just: it is also a gift gracious above nature from God, against the Pelagians, in that it is not the ability of nature, by which man is, but by the merciful operation of God. Moreover the same Doctor doth expound in what sense, our justice is the justice of Christ, and his grace against Pelagius; in that it is an effect and a benefit graciously proceeding from the justice of Christ: in which meaning many times the holy Scriptures and fathers, call our justice the justice of Christ in contraposition to the justice of free will, by workees, without faith in Christ, 
Aug. de Spirit. & lit. cap. 22.  and his especial grace. It is said the charity of God is powered into our hearts; not that charity by which he loveth us, but by which he maketh us his lovers; as that justice by which through his gift we are just is termed the justice of God. Than as charity is inherent, so is also justice; and as our charity is the charity of God, because an effect thereof, affecting the sold of man, so is our inherent justice the justice of Christ, not the justice of nature, the justice of free will, or of the law, for that it is the effect of faith in Christ, and of his grace freely bestowed. To the same purpose thus also writeth S. Gregory. That is said to be our justice, not that which is ours of our one, but that, which is made ours by 
Greg. l. 24. in job. cap. 7.  divine gift: as we say in our lords prayer: give us to day our daily bred, Behold we say it to be our bread, and yet pray that it be given us. It is made ours when it is received, which also is of God, because taken from him. So than it is both God his by benevolence, and is made truly ours by acceptance In like manner in this place we give justice to a believer, not that which he hath of himself, but that which being created he received, in which, being fallen, he would not perseu●rs.  
3. The Protestanter pretending a resemblance to magnify and extol the merits 
Protestantiso justice.  of Christ acknnowledgeth no other justice, than that which is formal in Christ, imputed outewardlie unto a believer by God the Father, traducing inherent justice of works, as justice of flesh and blood, justice of the law, and not of grace by a frank gift of 
Calu. l. 3 Insti. cap. 11. Sect. 9  almighty God Some there be of this crew aspiring so high, that they believe themselves justified by the eternal and essential justice of God imputed unto them: all though Caluine dislike and reprove such a conceit. Others repute themselves just, the 
Calu 3. Instit. cap. 11. Sect 9  children of God, and pardoned from all sins, by the justice of Christ, believing that God the Father imputeth it unto them Whereupon Caluine likeneth faith to a vessel apprehending the promises of God, and the justice of Christ: so that faith is not justice of itself formally, but only a means to take hold of justice in Christ. We compare 
Sect. 7.  faith to a vessel, by which unless we be emptied, and with open mouth do desire the grace of Christ, we be not capable of him. Colour for this opinion is made from holy scriptures, that term Christ to be our wisdom, our justice and redemption: as if in us were no formality of justice, of wisdom, of redemption, but only in the justice of Christ apprehended by faith, and imputed unto us as ours, we possessing what good is in Christ. The trial shall detect this painted falsity, and confirm the Catholic verity.  
4 I propose this argument: That belief the which affordeth the more argument 
Inherent justice true justice and a greater grace than justice imputative. 1. Tim. 1.  and reason unto man why he should by charity love Christ for his benefits bestowed, is the principal: But faith crediting justice inherent, in comparison to the other faith, agnizing justice only imputed, doth tender greater cause o● charity towards our Redeemer, more extolling his grace; therefore such a belief is most true and to be preferred. The first Proposition can not be denied, in that charity is the end of the law, the perfection of Christianity, and a virtue of greatest esteem: and therefore if the Catholic belief a●aile more thereunto, than th●t of the P●o●e●●ant. ●t is rat●er to be embraced, as more subteable to the gospel, and ●om●ng of C●rist, which was ●o pow●●fier 
Luc. ●2.  of charity upon the earth. The Minor thus I prove: justice inherent is verily and truly justice of a person thereby justified by Christ, and so to be named in propriety of speech: But justice imputative is no justice at all in veretie of fact, nor to be signed by any propriety of word as iusti●e▪ therefore if charity proceed according to the quality of the gift and grace from the Cross of Christ, our Catholic faith serveth to the same effectually, and nothing at all to such purpose that of the Protestant That inherent justice is in verity of deed and form justice; and so in property 
Can a Protestant deny the Saints in heaven where is no faith to be ●●herent●●e▪ just.  of speech to be declared, is manifest. First example proveth it, ●n that the Angels were created in justice inherent, and now a●e just by a grace inherent in heaven: So also were our first parents sanctified in the beginning of their creation by a quality of justice inherent, before any faith in Christ in them di●ecte● to the expectation of a Redeeme●: the revelation whereof unto them presupposing their sin and f●ll▪ therefore inherent justice is truly and propetlie justice. Also reason doth evidently show the same: for inhe●encie of qualit●e is only the p●ope● ground of a true and substantial denomination: as a wall ●s truly white, because whiteness therein is inherent: a man is deemed wicked, for his evil action inherent in his william. Ne●●her to ●his effect is there any hindrance in that our justice is the grace and gift of God: ●or ● man is truly and properly chast● and continent, who rec●●ueth inhe●en●lie from God that grace: truly and properly wise, as noteth S. Augustine, the wh●ch in his understanding by 
Aug i● Ps. 17.  inherency of form retaineth the gift of wisdom: truly and properly charitable, as l●uing God, and believing his promises, when as by inhesion the soul entertaineth from God his benevolence the f●ruou● of charity, and the light of ●●i●h. Than may one be truly and properly just and acceptable to God inherentlie, although he take it as a free gift from almighty God. Truth it is▪ answereth the Protestant, that inherent justice is true and proper justice, if there could be found ●nie such qual●tie of that moment and force in man's soul: But what soever is inherent, as justice of man, ●s a justice 
justice in heaven ●s defamed by the Prote●●ant.  of w●●kes▪ a justice of the law, prescribed against by the Apostle as flat P●●llag●●n●sme, therefore no such inherent justice is to be thought of, but only the outward justice of Christ, accepted of God for all believers, if it be apprehended by faith: otherwise all inherent justice not including the formal justice of Christ for justice, is ●●urious to the justice of Christ, as the justice of man, and an abandoning of that in Christ, who is our sole justice and redemption▪ In this ●●asion surly is n● substance of judgement 
Inherent justice ●● the ●ustice of the▪ Gospel's.  or learning, although to the simple and ignorant somewhat colourable and hypocritical. For that there is such a quality in man's soul, proportionable in worth framed to the effect of justification through the merit of Christ, and workmanship of the Holy Ghost, we know by the style and phrases of holy scriptures, calling justification 
Tit. 3. Rom. 8. joan. 14▪ Act. 15.  a cleansing, a washing of the heart, a dwelling of God in man, an infusion of sanctity, which declare some inhering quality bestowed on man. Neither hath the Protestant any reason to call such inherent▪ justice the justice of the law, the justice of works, or the justice of the jews, reproved by S. Paul. For either it is so be esteemed, for that it is inherent, or for that it is attained unto by faith, hope, and charity, as disposing works of men. If the former cause be alleged, than the justice of the Angels, and that of the blessed, being inherent, is judaical, and justice of the law; yea the justice of our Saviour, the which is inherent is of the like condition. Truth it is, that the jews endeavoured to atcheeve an inherent justice, but it was a justice of works observing the law of Moses, and of nature, without faith in Christ, and so they sought for their own justice, and not for that of Christ, as well concludeth of them the Apostle. 
Rom 6.  But our inherent justice is acquired by faith in Christ▪ alto●ghe not by only faith, but also by charity, by repentance, and the fear of God: then is not inherent justice in this respect judaical Neither can the Prote●●āte●●udge it ●udaicall, for that ●t ●s obtained by works of faith, hope, & charity, as p●eparements thereunto: for so ●f ●an we●e 
Aug de Spi●●. & 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. ●9.  formally just by the justice of Christ, and ●et before the obtaining of that iust●ce, he was to dispose himself by faith, hope, and charity, such justice of Christ also should ●e judaical, and the justice of the law, which is most absurd. Moreover in this ●en●e the Protestant can not deny his justice to be the justice o● the law, for that to none is imputed the justice of Chaste, unless first he exercise the work of faith, to wit a work of the understanding, and also of the will and affection, as he granteth himself, a●d s● is he preparativelie justified by his works. [True and unfeigned faith, which the scripture 
Abb. defence pag. 68▪ His absurd Ch●me●●ca●l▪ faith.  commendeth for justification, is a mi●t action of the understanding and will The action of the will implieth an affecting, desiring, embracing, seeking of th●t which it believeth] Than is the justice of a Protestant a justice of works, that is a justice which is effect of a work in the understanding, and of many works in the will and affection, as of desire, love, ●oy, feeling, and the rest; which are different operations in number, kind and nature But here in this Doctrine is first an absurdity, than an heretical falsity Mose absurd is it, unheard in any learned schoole●, nor uttered ever by person of judgement, that one virtue should consist of so many actions in diverse faculties of the soul, as in the understanding, & in the will, and having different objects sorted into sundry specifications and qualities, should be remassed and united into one virtue in substance and definition; and that to the virtue of faith, whose essence is reposed in assent of the mind and intelligence. Good God, what base ignorance is it to say, that one and the same virtue believeth for authority sake, loveth, joyeth, desireth, embraceth, as the sweet of goodness apprehended! If all these actions be not 
Only faith ●o●th not justify according to the Protestant.  included in the definition and natural essence of saith▪ but be effects only thereof, as they be indeed, what ignorance is it to define the cause by the effect, and to pronunce that faith is a mixed action essentially importing such effects from them so distinguished? O● if the works of the affection be external to faith, and ●e● are necessary to justification, only faith doth not justify; but also love, desire▪ feeling, loving, embracing, and such affections of the will, contrary to their own position, that only faith justifieth. And if he grant, that faith justifieth, because from faith issueth the l●●e of God, and of his righteousness, and then man to be justified, we accord with him. But why ●hen is our justice the iust●ce of works, of the ● we, and judaical? His heresy consisteth in this, that he putteth no distinction betwe●●e faith, charity, or hope: for if faith be a mixed action, ●●porting an affe●● of ●he mind, & also a desire and love of God and his commandments, and that essentially; faith shall not be distinguished from hope and charity, contrary to the Apostle: Now these three remain, faith, hope, and 
1. Cor. 13.  charity; the greater of them is charisse. And that his faith is necessarily conjoined to charity, or to the desire of God his justice, I have proved it false, and shall more effectually perform it hereafter. May not sir, a faithful man sin in concupiscence, and desire that which is contrary to the object of faith? Where is then the holy feeling, desire, and embracement of justice? Yea he will contesse in a beastly Theology▪ that the Princes of the jews, yea the Apostles abandoning Christ, which loved the praise of men, more than the glory of God▪ aduersal●uel●e to the commandment of God and nature, yet that they were faithful men, and loved God, although they had a weak faith, and a weak love, yet sufficiently were furnished thereby to justification. Lo the large reinss of an imputative justice! Thus let it remain proved, that inherent justice is true justice, according to the thing itself, and also propriety of speech; and that it is not a justice of works, of the law or judaical: Yet it is a justice, say they, savouring the heresy of Pelagius. Let it be examined.  
5. It can not be denied, but the heresy of Pelagius was opposite to the grace of 
Catholic inherent justice against Pelagius. Augu▪ lib. de Grat▪ Christi cap. 30.  Christ, both actual and also habitual, to wit against that grace which the Catholic avoucheth as necessary to keep the commandments, to live a christian life, and also against the inherent grace, which we repute as the form and life of justification. As concerning the former, he taught that man's free will without all inspired succours of grace might believe, hope, and love, as is requisite to salvation: and what grace in 
Cō. Trid. Scss. 5. 6. cap. 6. Aug. l de gra. Christ. cap.▪ 31. De peccator. merit. c. 9 10. M●n a●e justified by ●n hidden communication and inspiration of a spiritual grace▪ which justice is not that whereby God is just, but that which is in man by God De gra▪ & lib. ●●t. cap. 12. Tract 26. in johan. cap. 6. Aug▪ l de nat. & great▪ ca 71. ●e Spir. & lit. 17. cap. 26. Epi▪ 100L. ca 30. Iust●ti●, qua De● numere justi sumus, significatur in Psalmo. Cap 17. Cap. ●0. ●ap. 25.  this kind was bestowed mercifully by God upon man, he said it was merited by works of natural ability; the which two positions we condemn in him as i●●●ious and heretical. As concerning the other grace of justification, the Protestant is igno●anly malicious, ascribing to us his error, sithence that flatly in express terms as Pelagius denied all grace of necessity, so also habitual grace of justification, reposing the same in the works of the virtues wrought by the forces of man his natural faculty; whereupon Saint Augustine thus doth worthily charge him with his heresy, and free us from the Protestantish calummation, and impeacheth the ●●ed●t of the Protestants themselves. This grace by which we ar● justified, that is whereby the charity of God is powered into our hearts by the holy Ghost, which is given unto us, could I never find in the w●yting● of Pelagius ●nd C●l●stinus confessed as it aught to be. Thus Saint Augustine reposeth i●stification in habitual charity formally inhering in man's soul, affirming Pelagius to have denied the same; and so by this testimony are we opposite to Pelagius, acknowledging inherent justice, and the Protestants themselves are proved to be Pelagians, with him disallowing of the same justice inherent And that to this charity habitual infused and inherent, S. Augustine doth attribute justification, is manifest otherwise by his words, saying. Perfect charity is perfect justice: When charity is powered into the heart, it is the la of faith, and by love quikening the spirit: adding that the office of this grace, is to adorn the Image of God in us, and that sin therein is to be cured In this sense he interpreteth the Apostle affirming good Christians to have the law of God written in their hearts, to wit habitual charity there inherent, as the grace of true justification. In the old la, saith he, justice was engraven in tables of stone, whereby wicked men should be affrighted, here the la is given internally, that they may be justified. That was written without the man for his terror, this is written in man, that i●t●rnallie it may justify him. He also affirmeth the finger of God so writing, to be the sp●r●t of God, and the law written, which is justice, to be charity powered into our hearts, man made thereby, Dilector per vivisicantem spiritum, a lover of God through the quickening spirit, which is justice and righteousness inherent. Remain it therefore proved, that justice inherent after the Catholic rite is true, real, and proper justice in fact and deed, and also according to ordinary sense of speech, nothing appertryning to the justice of works, or of the law, condemned by the Apostle, neither to be any thing defiled with the heresy of Pelagius, it importing justice inherent a free gift of almighty God, through jesus Christ, not deserved or merited by any precedent endeavour of man, as defineth the sacred Council of Trent. The which Doctrine highly advanceth and extolleth also 
Concil. Trid. Sess 6. cap. 6. justice inherent commends th● m●●its of Christ.  the merits of Christ our Saviour, that from thence it accepteth of a true, real, and proper justice, and such a justice, as we must needs confess God to have effected in any, whom he should perfectly justify, as he did in his own son Christ jesus, in the Angels, and in our first parents, who all were justified inherentlie by the quality of habitual grace, or charity. For what more noble and absolute form and manner of justification can be imagined, than such a gift inherent, whose formal effect is to make the subject thereof just and gracious to God, as hear in the fire inherent rendereth it hot, light in the sun bright and shining▪ w●sedome in the mind sage & prudent? And as in this our esteem the benefit through our Redeemer is the greater, more absolute, and excellent, so doth our charity for so high a degree of benefit and redemption, return the greater love and mo●e efficacious▪ acknowledgement of such a grace and favour, magnifying the Redeemer his merit in so notorious and goodloe and effect and impression, as is the justification of a sinner by a quality inherent and permanent in his soul. If the son of God, saith our Saviour to the jews, hath a●●●●red 
Io●n. 8.  you, vere l●ber●estis, you are truly d●l●uered▪ It res●eth now we make demonstration, that the justification Protestantishe by an imputative justice to be at all no benefi●t or commodity by Christ, but rather a profanation of his Cross, and abuse of his grace to vanity and turpitude. Proceed we.  
6. It is impossible, contrary to the nature of things, & not conceivable by the understanding 
justice impu●●tine canno● be conceived true justice.  of God, in that false in object, and repugnant to all nature, that man should truly and in deed, remaining a sinner either in act, or estate o● si●ne, be just by the outward justice of Christ, or thereby made gracious or acceptable unto almighty God: therefore such Protestantish justice is not true and douane, but rather erroneous, heretical, and Antichristian. For the intelligence of the anteceedent, we must distinguish three sorts▪ of justice in our Saviour Christ; the first concerneth the personal union, the which the Greek Fathers call the sacred oil of divinity, peculiar to Christ, 
What justice of Christ may be imputed. He●●●h. in 6. c. E●od. Dam. lib. 4. Psal 44.  as perferred thereby before all his brethren and participiants, according to the Psalmist: the second is grace habitual and inherent, such as Catholics in an inferior degree maintain to be found in all persons just and sanctified: the last is contained in his actions, as in his charity, obedience, humililitie, continence, mercy, and penalty for us upon the Cross. Now examine we whether all these three kinds of justice, or any of them can be imputed to a sinful man, or make in truth and verity him just, honest and innocent. First therefore it is impossible, incredible, and most absurd, that the union hypostatical and personal should be imputed to any, or judged by Allmight●e God to impart unto man in truth and verity any formal effect or denomination. For in respect of this union, if imputation were sufficient, as the Protestan●er maketh it in case of justification, then in virtue of▪ such an imputation might every one to whom that imputation is made, be in deed and name the natural child of 
Union hypostatical can not be imputed.  God, substantially and personally united to the divinity, as is found in Christ; be also powrable to work miracles, to institute Sacraments, to redeem the world, which to conceit is mostre monstrous and exorbitant. Than farther thus I argue: If the personal union in our Saviour Christ, his infinite wisdom, his knowledge, his power of excellency, can not be imputed to any, and perform that the party to whom such imputation is granted be truly the son of God, wise, intelligent and redemptive, neither can any justice in Christ, only in him inherent, be so imputed to man externally, as that in verity it tender him just and holy; in that the reason for impossibility of the former imputation is grounded upon the distraction of the form from the subject, to which the foreign imputation doth appertain; as for that the personallunion in Christ, his infinite power and wisdom being only inherenthe in this one person, can not indeed re●de: a man participant of their formal effects: therefore in that the justice of Christ is solely in Christ, and not inherent in man, it can neither by any imputation in truth and deed 'cause him to be just, or that the judgement 
No man just; in fact & truth according to the Protestant.  of God should deem him just. We must therefore suppose, that the judgement of God doth not efficientlie make a man ●ust, but because rather that man is just, and a true object of that judgement, therefore almighty God judgeth him just. As when almighty God judgeth one to be a sinner and damnable, he is not made of that quality by the i●dgement of God, but because so it is in the thing itself, therefore is it so judged by his divine understanding. Likewise when he judgeth an Angel or man to be perfect, beautiful, and of good understanding, the judgement doth not effect these proprieties, but presuppose their truths, otherwise caused by his work of creation and providence; no more than in regard of man, snow is white, because so judged by him, but for that in fact and reality of form whiteness inhereth in snow, true it is, that snow is white, and therefore is it so adjudged: upon which Doctrine I make this inference: But the external justice of Christ is not in reality of fact and deed the justice of man, or he thereby in truth of thing and object, before (as we spreake according too human conceit) the judgement of God have access, is rendered just and holy, seeing that truth of any proposition affirming one thing as form of an other subject, thereof can not arise without inhetencie of one in the other, and so by a formal combination of them both: for example, in virtue of fact and deed, an ignorant man can not be learned; unless he have learning inherent in his soul: Yea it were blasphemy to attribute a judgement to almighty God of falsity, which is when the thing itself is otherwise than it is judged by the act of the understanding; therefore seeing that in verity of deed and fact an ignorant person is not learned by the learning of an other, without all erudition in his own soul; and it should be an erroneous judgement to judge a rustic as learned and wise as Aristotle; so also in that according to fact and deed a sinful man and one offending in act damnably, can not be just and righteous, devoid of it in his own soul, by the outward justice of an other, the Protestanter is not only false, but also blasphemous, making God to judge an offendant in act just, being not in deed and fact of thing so qualified. furthermore when the holy scriptures lenounce a believing and a penitent person just, holy, amiable to God, I inquire whether in the letter be propriety of spe●che, together with truth in the object and thing signified, or no? To say that the text transgresseth in propriety of speech, were to impair the authority of the holy Ghost, as a recorder only serving to deciue & abuse our intelligences; and to affirm that in the thing itself there were no such verity, is blasphemy, making the scriptures to affirm that, which is not a parterei in the thing itself. Than must he grant, that man is just indeed, in vertie of fact, with as great truth and propietie as the snow is white, the sun resplendent, and therefore that truth being avouched by scriptures, in them with verity, is also found propriety of words and speech. But I have proved, that without full inherency there can be no truth a part ●ei in the thing itself, and for that cause truly and in deed no man is capable of denomination from the union hypostatical, from the infinite wisdom and power in our Saviour Christ: and for example a parterei in the thing itself a coal is not as white as the snow, or hell a partere● so glorious as heaven by any imputation: therefore the Protestanter, inducing an imputative justice without verity and substance of form, attributeth falsity together to the words of almighty God, also to his divine judgement, who erroniouslie writeth and judgeth that man is just, holy and innocent. Hear beyond the pride of Pelagius is transported the Protestanter to the disgrace of Christ his merits, acknowledging no justice in man, or that man is truly just a part rei with verity of object and substance: man to be no more just by Christ than the devil is, if to him the innocency of Christ were imputed; no more just than was Lais continent, to her imputed the chastity of Susanna; no more just, than Absalon 
2. Reg. 18.  was dutiful, to him being imputed the service of joab; no more just than a black Moor is white, to him being imputed the hue of a German. O monstrous doctrine of Antichrist, thus to reduce the price of the Cross, justification, to a shadow, to a vanity, to nothing, to a chimaera, yea to a falsite and delusion!  
7. Now as concerning the habitual justice of Christ, neither can it be imputed to 
Habitual justice in Christ not imputuble to man.  man, or because of his justice in any verity of fact or deed: which thus may be proved: The union hypostatical in Christ, or his infinite wisdom and power can not be imputed to man, or exhibit him the natural child of God, wise and virtuous, as hath been entreated, therefore neither can any habitual grace by imputation serve to the like effect of justification. The consequence is equally allowable with the antecedent, in that the forms imputed are in like sort external, and not inherent, and therefore semblably not fit to work an●e verity of fact, or true denomination in man●, to whom they are imputed. Neither can it be imagined, that a quality inherent, for example sake in john, can tender Peter truly endued or qualified by the same, especially when in Peter are found qualities of clean opposite and contrary natures. As if Peter be ignorant, he can not be learned by the habitual learing in john, in that an habit is a peculiar grace and perfection only of that faculty, wherein it is inherent, 
Wittaker l. 2. de peccat. or. cap. ●.  and by whose acts and employments it is acquired Than seeing that all men by the Protestants confessions are actually and habitually sinners, worthy of damnation, & so in opposition to the justice of Christ, it is impossible that thereby any man should be just and innocent in truth and in fact: for otherwise the one and self same subject should be a seat of extreme contrarieties: as one man at the self sane time to be habitually unjust and habitually just. And who can think that either in substance of the thing itself, or in any property of speech one in the estate and habit of adultery, can be continent, or so named by the habit of that virtue residing in an other?  
8. Come we now to the actual justice of Christ, importing the price of our redemption, and tric we also whether by imputation thereof man in quality of an actual sin, can be justified and made thereby truly acceptable unto almighty God. Thus I argue: The actual justice of Christ, as his obedience, his humility, his patience, his 
Christ actual justice no●●m putable ●o 〈◊〉  fortitude, his charity, his virginal integrity, as they are infinite in worth and value, so are they the peculiar perfections of his own person, & of those faculties, by which they were produced, therefore by no imputation can they make any man truly and indeed actually obedient, actually humble, actually patiented, actually courageous, actually charitable, or actually chaste and contine●nt The Antecedent is manifestly true, in that there is a relation betwixt the faculty and the vital operation thereof, the one limited to the other; as the actual vision of this man his eye, is only a vision of himself, and can not make an other actually by the same vision to see the same thing: The actual knowledge of Aristotle, can not make actually an ignorant person Philosophical o● intelligent. The consequent as truly deduced, so true in itself, and to be admitted. Moreover to the same issue of conclusion thus I dispute. In all men justified by Christ are extant actual sins, clean opposite to those actual virtues in Christ, as acknowledgeth the Protestant, making the just man continually to sin 
Wittaker l. 2 depec. or. c. 2.  in concupiscence, to the violation of the whole decalog; as actual incontinency, actual disobedience, and the like, therefore to them can not be imputed the actual continence and obedience of Christ, as thereby they might indeed, and according to the judgement of almighty God, be rendered actually continent and obedient. The Antecedent is admitted by the Protestant: for as the just do actually sin, so offend they in opposite vices to the actual virtues in our Saviour. The consequent may thus be proved. This man actually trespassing against justice and chastity, can not be a just, honest and continent man, if to him were imputed the actual justice and chastity of some other good person: for so a knave should be a knave, and yet an ●onest man, virtuous and vicious in deed, chaste, and in deed adulterous, in fact a thief, and in truth an upright dealer, the which to imagine is most absurd and monstrous. And according to the contrary sense, if imputation be so strong, as the Protestant would, than the most honest man in the world in act of virtue, might be as sinful in act and detestable to God, as the devil himself, if to him were imputed his offences: and contrariwise the devil actually blaspheming might be a devout person, if the actual piety of Christ or of sum other good Christian were to him imputed. O vile conceit of an heretical brain! where then in the imputative justice of the Protestanter, is there either truth of fact and deed, or property of speech, yea any verity? Is an actual offender actuallic just by the actual justice in Christ? avant insolent pride and brainsick falsity. Is it not extreme and more than Pelagian pride to 
Protestants exceed Pelagians in arrogancy, they making themselves in possibilittie as just as be the Angels. Aug. l. 3. cont. 2. epi. Pel c. 7. Rob. Ab. def. pag. 425. Is the Pope Antichrist be leevig Christ to be God? then what is Rob. Abb. denying it? Au. Enc. c. 40 Non gratiasilio, sed natura in unitate personae modo mirabiliter incffabili ●diunctus & concretus. Arist. lib 1. Metaph. ca 1.  pronounce of himself, as evetie Protestant doth, that he is as just actually, not only by Pelagian possibility, as Christ is, and consequently infinitely just, as he is; as amiable to God the Father, as he is, as well deserving as he, and finally as precious and holy as the Prince of all holies? To avoid which inconuevience a Protestantish minister entereth rank with the Turk, and denieth the actual justice of Christ imputed to a believer to be infinite in value & esteem, because it is the righteousness of a finite creature, which is not capable of that, that is infinite: Where first he denieth the redemption of man kind and full satisfaction for our sins, in that no other ransom could condignly deserve grace for man, but only that which is infinite: otherwise a pure creature might have redeemed man as rigorously and justly as Christ did, in that there is no repuguancie, why any finite desert might not be found in a pure creature by the grace and gift of God; which to avouch is blasphemy & an Antichristian heresy against the blood of Christ and his Incarnation. Than he playeth the Turk and denieth Christ to have been the natural and substantial Son of God by personal union of two natures in one person or subsistence: for if he had granted this union, than had he admitted infinity of actual justice and merit in Christ, for that actions be suppositorum, that is of persons, according to the Philosopher; and so the infinity of worthiness in the person working must needs impart to the work an infinite price and value: therefore the minister denying this infinity in Christ, thereby denieth him to be the son of God, or personally God, calling his works the works of a finite creature, as if Christ were a pure creature, and no otherwise God, than by a favour or accidental gift of grace, as Nestorius once defined, and now the Turk accounteth. This is he that will needs brand the Bishop of Rome with the note and name of Antichrist, whilst he himself disgraceth Christ in the highest degree, and that in his divine person, in the purple robes of our humanity, and in the moment and worth of his blood and passion. The impious and blasphemous minister thus refuted, I return for conclusion to the argument: Not mortal man can be infinitely just, or equal to Christ in justice, therefore may he not be just by the actual justice of Christ to him imputed. 
Quantallbet cuim homines 〈◊〉 praepolleant, nondry sunt aequales Angelis Dei. Angu. lib De Dono Pursue. cap. 3. Imputative justice favoureth sin against the me ●●●● of Christ. Tit. 3. Rom. ●. 2. Cor 6. 1. joan. 2.   
9 lastly against this justice imputative I propose this argument. The Catholic justice inherent taketh away sins, is repugnant to sin, deterreth from sin; whereas the justice imputative of a Protestant, abideth with any sin either actual or habitual, emboldeneth to sin, therefore that is Christian justice, and this Antichristian heresy. That Christian justice is to abolish sin, we gather by the phrases of bolie scriptures calling justification a washing, a clear sing, and purifying of men's souls. Also that the same Christian ipstice is not to consist as copesmate with sin, we collect out of the same places, and also from others, making an opposition betwixt sin and justice, as betwixt light and darkness, the seed of God, and the devil. But if justice be external in Christ, not inherent in man, not renewing inherentlie his spirit, it can not clean exclude from thence sins, as darkness doth not expel light, unless it affect the same subject which light did before. Whereupon seeing that the justification Protestantish doth not exclude sin from out the soul, it may be demand how a man then is truly justified from them? They answer, that man is just, not 
Protestantish justice of la examined. Rob Ab. def. pag. 423.  after the formal manner of quality inherent, but in course of law and judgement, in that God the Father taketh the justice of Christ for the justice of an offendant man; as in law one is just & pardoned by the Prince, exempted from penalty, not liable to any action and process of accusation, without farther mutation. But this answer implieth an absurdity, and a blasphemy. Absurd it is, that God should accept the knowledge of Christ for excuse and expiation of culpable ignorance in an other, for so all sins and villainies might by only faith be pardoned without charity, repentance, amendment, and honesty. Than how can a luxurious person be accounted just by God through the chastity in Christ; When as Almighty God seethe that such justice can not make him just, or an honest man actually offending against chastity? The blasphemy consisteth in this, that he compareth justification by the sacred blood of Christ, to the forgiveness of a trespass by the Prince or magistrate towards a transgressor. For the Prince may by his royal power exempt a traitor, a thief, from process in law against him, o● from punishment, yet the party trespassing being thereby not rendered any whit the better, or the honester man, or in deed just. So than if man be only so justified, in that God decreeth not to punish an adulterer, well he may free him from pain hereby, yet notwithstanding in fact is he not just, in that he remaineth actually and habitually a transgressor, a villain, a knave, and well worthy the gallows. Is then Christian justice in form of law no better, but a bore immunity from pain, without all adieyned perfection to the person so justified, he remaining still in act and habit unjust, ungodly, unrighteous, only delivered from the rigour of law and pain due to such a transgressor? Is not here freedom of sin with this lawlesle manner of justification, when a man actually sinning in disobedience is justified from that crime by the obedience of Christ? O Christ, hath Antichrist in the Protestanter wrought thy justice, the price of thy Cross, to this shadow and falsity! Are Christians justified, because only excused from pain or terror of judgement, otherwise plunged in act and habit in all wickedness: As the Prince doth justify sometimes a knave remaining in estate or act of knavery? Doth God through Christ justify a sinner after no better a fashion, but that indeed he is still unjust, wicked, and just only in freedom from chastisement? And how is a wicked man in act of mortal sin free from punishment, 
Rom. 6. 1. joan. 2.  seeing that according to scripture, the rued of sin is death, and he that sinnthiss the child of the devil? Not, not, we Catholics against the vile, base, and Antichristian heresy of the Protestanter, purt a difference betwixt justification by a Prince, and tha● by God through the merits of Christ: that the Prince justifying an offendor▪ maketh him never a whit the better▪ or the honester man, but that still after such justification he may remain a knave: Whereas contrariwise justification from God alteteth the party offendant, causeth him to be justin deed, and gracious 
Apoc. 〈◊〉. joan. 14.  to himself, it washeth him in the blood of the lamb, it purifieth him and imparteth unto him of his own spirit, rendereth him a new creature of regeneration and ad●ption of childeship with himself, and towards the inheritance of his heavenly kingdom. If God should exempt the devils persisting in actual blasphemy from punishment, were they good Protestant, just indeed, and as christianly just, as is the best Protestant? O Christ●●nitie aviled & extenuated to a lewd fancy of a fowl imagination! Is Antichrist at Rome, and not rather in the brains of the ministers!  
10. Nevertheless they fall to objections from a typical place of similitude, and 
How is Admetus▪ his sin in. pu●ed to all.  say, If Adam his offence be imputed to every one in particular of his race as guilty thereof, why may not in like ●ort to each believer be imputed the justice of Christ▪ But this opposition that it may be clearly solved in the understanding of the Protestanter, is needful only some explication, and a little learning, to be by him in mind comprised. Let him therefore know, that after two manner of means, one may suppose imputation of Adam his offence to all of his posterity: the first by efficiency, in regard of the will and and cause, the which produced the same: then in respect of denomination, such offence truly & indeed making man a sinner, to whom it is imputed. And accordingly as we define of imputation by efficiency, must we think of the other by denomination, that being the former and ground of this the later and consequent. Therefore Adam his sin is imputed to every one of his posterity according to efficiency, not that every one in his proper and singular person is cause of that sin, as is evident, in that the sin was committed long before our conceptions and nativities; but in that Adam was a public person, the head of our mankind, received grace not only for himself, but condicionallie also for all his posterity, we hau●ng a debt and obligation together with possibility in him to persist in grace & favour with almighty God, sinned in him, as he disobeyed personally, and as speaketh the Apostle in whom all have offended: that is the efficient cause of sin was Adam his will, as a general & 
Rom. ●.  a capital will, in which we had sufficiency and obligation Let to have transgressed. So then as Adam's sin was ours in efficiency, not of our particular persons, but in regard of his generality, we are denominated sinners by the same sin, not in our own persons, but in, the person of Adam in whom we were, as in our head and fountain of all human nature: We sinned in him, and are named sinners in him, being neither the one nor the other in our singular & proper persons. For if the offence of Adam should be imputed personally unto us, than were our original sin actual sin, not original, and worthy of hell fire, not only of poena damus of the want of the vision of almighty God, contrary to the definition of the divines, and consent of the fathers. But the Protestant must admit, that the actual obedience & charity of our Saviour Christ is imputed to each one in particular, which believeth, as his proper and personal justice, and so the comparison is defective, and therein is a falsity colourably deduced from a verity: whereas the Scriptures do not barely say, that men are just in Christ, but that they absolutely are just, are sanctified and purified by the holy Ghost imparted unto them, avouching expressly on the other side in respect of Adam his transgression, 
Rom. 5. Aug. 16. Civi. c. 27. Rob. Abb. Defen. p. 401.  men to ha●e sinned in him, In whom all hau● sinned, as expoundeth this place S. Augustine.  
11. Than entereth in an other similitude most false, execrable and blasphemous, Christ not being a ●inner, yet was reputed as a ●inner for our sa●●s, and for the sin●e, that 〈◊〉 us: so we not being in ourselves just and righteous, yet are reputed just and righteous for his sake, and for the righteousness that is in him. We must grant unto the minister, that according to the phrase of Scripture our sins were imputed to Christ; first that our Saviour sometimes taketh upon him the person of 
How Christ is a sinner. Matth 27. Psal 21. Rom. 5. 1. Pet. 3. Ose. cap. 4. C●●ill. abide. August. lib. de peceat merit. c 32. l 3. con●. 2 Epi pel. c. 6. Ep●. 120 ca ●0.  a sinner, and speaks of himself in our behalf as a sinner: Mygod, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? ●ar from my health are the words of my sins: Than for that he sustained the pains of death due to our sins▪ in similitude of sinful flesh bearing our sins in ●o●poresu●, that is by pains inflicted upon his sacred and divine body dew to our sins. According to which sense thus speaketh S. Augustin: God therefore unto whom we are reconciled, made him sin for us, that is a sacrifice, by which our sins are ●orgi ●en: ●ic●●se sacrifices for sins are called sins. But most abominable is it to affirm, that out sins made him formally a sinner, either according to truth of speech, or verity of fact and deed: and in that all men are just and truly just by some form either imputed or inherent, the comparison hath in the parts no proportion or resemblance. Man are just and holy in verity of the thing itself, otherwise that judgement should be false, which should esteem them just: they are also amiable to God, worthy to be his children, and his coheirs. Therefore if Christ in the same guise 
Apo●. 3.  was sinner and unjust in verity of fact and in deed, he was also odious to God the Father, reputed by him as worthy of ethernall damnation, the which to writ or conceit my soul and hand trembleth. Whereupon thus I re●o●●e the argument, and return his blasphemic upon his own face. Our Saviour Christ was not a sinner in adultery by man his adultery, nor thereby odious to his eternal Father; therefore neither now is man just by his justice, and gracious to the ●yes of almighty God. The Antecedent is thus proved: The will of Christ neither in his own person committed sin, nor in us as general heads of his nature, as we make reckoning of Adam: therefore as he in no sort sinned actually or originally, so neither was he in any manner a ●inner in verity of thing and fact. Yet they say, ●o make him a sinner sole imputation was sufficient. It is most false: for if to one employed in actual chastity should be imputed the looseness of an other badly demeaned, were that chaste person sinful thereby through● the will of the imputatour, without all ground or cause in the things themselves? Loathsome absurdity! Whereupon since that in our Saviour Christ did abound all manner of actual virtues and justice, the contrary vices of wicked persons could not be imputed to him, or he made thereby sinful, odious to God, or worthy of eternal damnation. Than the consequent is manifest, in that the minister placed a similitude betwixt the sins of the world imputed to Christ, and his justice imputed to man; and so none are truly just, truly gracious to God, truly worthy of heaven. Moreover thus I argue: Christ was only a sinner enduring the pains of sin, and so indeed no sinner: for an honest man in way and act of honesty 
Cirill. Alex. Epist. 39  may satisfy for a knave, therefore men are no otherwise just than remaining in act and habit most unjust, yet for Christ his sake are exempted from pains due unto offenders. The antecedent perhaps will scarce have ●ree passage with the minister, in that he compareth Christ to one that by promise taketh upon him to discharge an other man's debt: making Christ to have undertaken to satisfy for our sins, and to bear our sins upop himself not only in their penalty, but in their guilt and crime. For as the undertaker or surety is truly and formally a debtor, the obligation derived from his fidelity in promise and covenant, so●s, by this account, Christ for us a sinner with debt and dignity of sin, worthy obliged to answer for us suffering death: and in this sense is avouched by the minister outrageous blasphemy against Christ, pretending like a false broker for Antichrist, to extol and magnify his deserts. Truth it is, ●hat one man may become a debtor in place of an other in virtue of some promise, contract, or inheritance; and so our Saviour be a debtor to God his Father▪ in that he vowed and accepted personally to satisfy for us to his death and passion. For example, if Robert contracted a debt of an hundred pound by his fact which was his sin, as by ● money, or such like his friend Richard being innocent and an honest m●n, might take upon him the debt, but ●o● the sin, in that a debt might arise in him by obligation oh promise: but whereas sin groweth from a voluntary action contrary to reason, the honesty of Richard will not suffer him to be a sinner: so Adam contracted a debt for himself and us all, of eternal damnat on by his sin: cometh Christ to discharge 
Christem pronobis pecca tū●ecit Deus, cui reconsi ●and● s●mu●: Hoc est sacrifici●● pro pe●catis petcuod reconciliati valexemus. Aug In Each. c. 41  and satisfy both for the one and the other, not that he is sinful, but only obliged to satisfy when he promised for our ransom as sacrifice according to S Augustinn for sin, to dye upon the Cross, and to surrender a thing to his Father more precious and amiable then was Adam's sin dishonourable. But let him tell us, how Christ discharged our debt of pain, he dying only a temporal death upon the Cross, and we worthy of eternal damnation in hell, espeiallie sithence the minister maketh the value of his charity and desert only finite and included in a certain compass of worth and value. Than if the minister will auc●de blasph● mie, he must grant, that Christ was a sinner, and a debtor in no other sense, than in that he endured torments and death due unto sins, promising his eternal Father so do do; and then to maintain the proportion of his similitude, also must he admit, that Christian justification is nothing else but a bore remittance and acquittance from all brain of hell and damnation; so that men are just, because not punishable by the benevolence of almighty God; just after the law fashion; the which indeed is no justification, in that a man may be exempted from pain, and yet be a most grievous offender in act; how then just indeed, if in fact moset unjust, wicked and abheminable? Moreover it is against the sacred and just providence of almighty God, thus to justify transgressor's after the Protestantish rite; yea it is blasphemy to say, that God doth justify one that is in 
1. joan. 3.  act of robbery, of villainy, in the same moment of time, in which the sin is committed, 
Isai. 30. Ezech. 34.  in that such a one is of the devil, hateful to God, who doth not justify the wicked, as he in scripture exprobrateth against the jews saying good to be bad, and light darkness. Thus endeavoureth Antichrist for the enlargement of vice and empire of Satan, to debilitate, yea to make void all Christian justice, to tender it nothing worth, or of any remarkable account.  
11. Seeing therefore that the measure of our Hope and charity towards our saviour Christ ariseth from the esteemed degree of his mercies and benevolence, the 
Ad Tit. 3. joan. 3.  Catholic agnizing justification in an inward renewing of the spirit, in washing and eleansi●g it from sin, in a sormalitie of fact and deed, the Protestanter only acknowledging the same in a foreign imputation, without true effect & denomination, to the maintenance of sin, and misprision of the Cross, therefore by the rules of Hope and Charity, out doctrine is sound & christian, attributing more to Christ: the other of the Protestant, adverse impious, sacrilegious, and extermely injurious against Christ, and his sacred grace of justification. We behold Christ in opposition to Adam and the serpent, believing that by his merit justice is inherent●e procured in our souls, as was sin by their misdemeanures: and pray unto Christ with the Christian Poet:  

Sed Samulis redde t●●S qudo perdidit Adam, 
Alevin. Auit, lib. 3. de Sent. Dei.   
Quodque tulit primum vitiate stirpis origo,  
Ortu restituat per te pia vita secundo.  
Restore O Lord, What Adam lost.  
What poisoned root did take away:  
Retourne-to us on thine own cost  
By life a second living day.    

The benefit of a instigfying grace remitting and pardoning in us original sin, Catholikelie esteemed, maketh much for the worth of christion Hope: contrariwise what in this affair is defined by the Protestanter, is as hurtful to the same confidence, so derogative also to the Passion and merits of our Redeemer.  
CHAPTER. XXV.  
ORIGINAL sin we acknowledge in every one contracted, descended from 
Original sin in every one personal lie ihher●s, is a sin in proprietue.  Adam by way of carnal propagation, personally in all inherent, although not personally committed. For sithence that our first parent received grace and original justice not only for himself, but also for us, consequently he lost it not only in himself, but procured that we should be conceived and borne in guilt of original crime, to wit in the want or privation of habitual grace and justice. The which defect 
Rom. 6.  we also believe to be a sin in propriety of form, as making us by nature the children of wrath, as sayeth the Apostle. If children of wrath, then sinful and odious to almighty God, if children of wrath by nature, then is it no● derived to us by personal act, but by natural propagation, supposal made of Adam his fall invested with those conditions, in which he for himself and for us also accepted and received original grace By the disobedience of one man many are made sinners, affirmeth S. Paul The 
Rom. 5.  which he approveth by death the punishment of sin, to which all are liable; by the gravity also of such a detriment arguing of the quality of original sin: And so unto 
2. Cor. 5.  all men death did pass, in whom all have sinned. To which verity opposed themselves Pelagius, Celestinus, Ruffinus, Cassianus, avouehing Adam's miscarriage to have only 
Augu li. 1. de pee. merig. ca 23 l 1. ad Sim. plic.  hurt his own person, and no body else; but were refuted and condemned in the Milevitan Council, Aurosicane, and lately in the Triden●ne, Dareame mansay, as speaketh S. Augustine, Christ not to be a sautour and Redeemer of infants? But bow hath be saved them, if in them was no malady of sin?  
2, Wherhfore seeing that original sin inherent in every one in the first moment 
Original sinncis an habitual prluationof justice. Rom 5. D. Thom 1. 2. 2. ae. 9 81. a●. 2. Lib. 3. cont. Gent. ca 7.  of conception, can not arise arise by any actnall misde meanue of the party, yet depruid of reason and judgement, and is found the in those qui peceauern●t, which have not actually trespassed, as teacheth the Apostle, in must needs consist in some habitual and permanent estate of bades and deformitgie: and therefore is termed an habit by the school doctous S. Thomas: not that it imporreth any real quality, commonly signified by the name of an habit, but for that it is remanent in the soul, when no act is exercised, after the manner of an habit in that respect: Originali sin then is the privation of a iustisying grace, caused by propagation from Adam offending: Which want and privation is culpable, damnable, and hateful unto almighty God. By reason of which defect in the the soul, as from cause and origine, do descend and are propagated in our human nature other calamities as penalties inflicted by God upon us for the same; to wit in the sensitive part of the soul a propension of lustful and unlawful desites, a distemperature and discorder of perturbations and affections, troubling reason and bending the will to the manifest breach of God his commandments, a dullness and blindness in the mind, a fountain of maladies in the body. The which bad inclination and poise of nature in us depraved, is not formally original sin, but an effect thereof, a punishment of it, and therefore termed by Saint Thomas, the material part of original sin: for because the superior part of man his soul once refused in our first parents to be obsequious and obedient to the law and empire of almighty 
D. Thom. 1. ●. 2. ae. q 82. ar. 3.  God, therefore worthily now this superior part is to endure the rebellion from his inferior sense for molestation of it, for harder practice and enurement in the carriage of virtue, and using the principality of reason's commandry. For in that christian justice is an inherent quality & perfection in the soul, making it grateful and amiable unto almighty God, original sin, or injustice is consequently seated in the self same subject, and is the expulsion or want of that grace, the which in favour and friendship exposeth the soul unto almighty God his affection and benevolence gracious 
D▪ Thom. ● 2. pa● q. 95. ar. 1. 1. Cor 15. Original sin taken away by Christian justice. Aug l. 2. cont. julian cap. 5. ●nch cap. 15 & 16.  and priseable.  
3. But as according to the Apostle Christ as saviour and second man, stood in opposition of the first Adam, so is his grace, h●s de●er● also in contrariety to his sin and iniquity: whereupon is to be inferred, that as Adam by guilt of crime defaced the image of God in our souls, so Christ our Saviour by his grace and redemption hath recovered nature from that stain and bane of sin, and also hath illustrated the same by his sanctity, and gift of an internal beauty and renovation: so that our redemption implied is in these two things, to wit in abolishing sin, induced by Adam, and in adorning the subject thereof, man his soul, with the precious endowment of justification And for that original sin is the capital sin, the first and general ruin of all human nature, and gulf as it were from whence issueth all other actual offences, therefore the Cross of Christ and his divine merit was especially directed against such a calamity he being a lamb to take away the sin of the world, according 
joan. 1.  to the Greek edition, that is original and primary sin. That such an abolishment of original sin is procured by the blood of Christ and his justice, the holy scriptures do directly affirm: namely when Moses thus recommended 
Exo. 34. Psal. 50▪ Micheae. ca 7. Tit. 3. Rom 6. joan 3. Nihil aliud mors Chr●sti crucifixi nisi remissionis peccati similitudo: & quem admodum in illovera mors facta est, sic in nobis verare missio peccatorum. Aug. in Ench. cap. 52. Zwing. li. de Baptismo. What is original sin by the Protestanters' accounts.  the goodness of almighty God: Thou hast ta●en away iniquity, crimes and sins: According to the multitude of thy mercies, prayeth David, take away mine iniquity: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall become more white than snow. He shall▪ saith the Prophet Michaeas, cast into their depth of the sea all your sins. Hereupon the Apostle termeth Baptism the laver of regeneration, that is a washing out of sin, the death and burial of the same, to wit utter expulsion of it; so that in the regenerate, there is nothing of damnation worthy of hell And as original sin is the death of the soul, so baptism a new regeneration and reviving imparteth life to it, and expelleth death: unless a man be together spiritually dead, & yet spiritually alive, inherently dead & odious to God, only externally alive, as not healed for dead, in regard of punishment and damnation. Let us lay down now what the Protestant in these matters defineth.  
4. There be of them the which extenuate original sin, and scarce with Pelagius afford it any passage into the souls of men descended from Adam Zinglius a Protestantishe Caluinister or Puritan, reckoneth no more of original sin, than of a disease hurtful, yet not damnable. Others will that original sin be nothing else but the actual transgression of Adam imputed to every one of his posterity: so that in deed it maketh them not defiled or sinful, as hath been proved But the general opinion of them is, that original sin doth consist on two parts: first on the faculty of nature prove and inclined to unlawful acts, then in the actual motion of concupiscence before and without consent of will, necessarily breaking out of the inferior par● of man, to wit the concupiscible and trascible power of the sensitive faculty: the which motions, as they say, continually rush out into all manner of deadly sins, to the violation of the whole ten●e commandments, cause man to be sinful and worthy damnation from top to the toe, and do pollute all other endeavours of the virtues, in such sort, that they be contaminated in God his sight, truly & properly deadly 
Cal. l. 2 Inc. 1.  sins, and ●ustlie deserve eternal damnation in hell. The 〈◊〉 prau●●ie and corruption fi●st maketh us hateful to God, thy bringeth forth in us works, which the Scripture calleth the works of the flesh: so that the very inclination of nature by his account is damnable, sinful, and hateful to God: then consequently of the same condition are all such evil motions as continually break out of that furnace of nature, so incaged & distempered. The which motions one styleth the violation of all the precepts of God & nature, so that men, in whom it is, be by original sin borne guilty o● pride, of gluttony, 
Wittaker l 1. de pecc. o●. g. c●●. ● 〈◊〉 sin 〈◊〉 taken 〈◊〉 according to the Protest.  of infidelity, an● at a word of all iniquity. Than as concerning the remission of this original sin, or rather sins, the Protestant denieth them by baptism, or by any impu●●tion of Christ his ●ustice by an apprehending faith to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the soul but in this he placeth the benefit of remission, that remaining in nature sins, they be not imputed, or held by God as punishable: so that betwixt the wicked & the childre of God by regeneration the difference is not in respect of their l●ues and actions, for that all do violate con●inua●l●e the whole 〈◊〉 & a●e defiled with all iniqu●●i●, but only that in the faithful God doth not behold them as damageable, o● damnal●le unto them, the which he doth m●thers for want of in apprehending faith. But by the way of digression, I can not sufficiently wonder at the monstrous, yea blasphemous absurdity 
Nature accused by the Protestant.  of the Protestant, designing as part of original sin the bad inclination of nature, making it hateful to God & a just cause why ever 〈◊〉 may be condemned: especially in that a certain minister accounteth of this inclination, not as some want or defect of grace, but a positive evil quality that aught not to be. O monster! Is sin a 
Abb desen. pag 229. Aug in Ench. ca 13. Omnis 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 nature, bonu●● est  positive quality, a piece of nature, in that nature in it whole compass is either in substance or in accident a creature of God, every positive ●●alitie being in mediately produced by his operation, and so good as teachet S. Augustin! Is not not the minister then a Manichean heretic, 〈◊〉 nature, as in●rinsecallie sinful, bad and damnable? Fie fie upon such ●regs of Protestantish doctrine! How came this quality into the soul, but by infusion of it there●nto by God▪ Doth God then by his proper & only action make the soul of an infant sinful, and by a quality imprinted thereinto by himself? If this quality be re●ll, and as it were an habit, c●rt●s in as much as it is a thing, & framed by God, it is good and perfect; how then the form of sin and injustice? Than to esteem of the motions of concupiscence as of original sin is likewise monstrous in tha● such motions, ●f sinful, are rather actual & personal sins: And how sins in us, if against our wills and desires they make issue for their distemperature? Do sins harbour in distracted and mad persons, in young children, in those, that are surprised with sleep? Do mad men, children, sleepers break actually all the ten commandments, are they actually sinful in all manner of iniquity, yea infidels? why not then thieves, murderers, sorcerers, rebels, and slaves of Satan? But return we from this gross asinarie Protestantishe to our intended purpose, and let us make trial by the rule of Hope, on which side abideth the Christian truth: this argument proposed, is to decide the controversy.  
5 A greater benefit is it from Christ to esteem original sin in the regenerate 
The benefit of regeneration according to the Catholic.  and justified to be clean taken away, than to imagine it abiding, only not to be imputed, as liable to penalty: But the Catholic accepteth of Christian justice as of a form by opposition utterly excluding original sin, the Protestanter imagineth Christian justice to procure solely that it remaining be not imputed; therefore the Catholic attributeth more to the merit of Christ by Hope, than doth the Protestanter; and as the gift is greater in benefit not thought of by him, so consequently in respect thereof the Catholic is more enkyndled with charity in recognizance and acknowledgement of so singular a grace and favour. And who seethe not the truth of the first proposition? in that evident it is, that a far better thing is it to have such quality thrust clean out of the soul, than therein allodgedy, only not to be imputed, or forgiven by exemption of the offendant from due and deserved penalty. Whereupon the Pagans' by the very institution of nature endeavoured according to their conceits by certain rites of religion, as by flames of fire, by laver in sea water, by brimstone, to rid their souls of the spots of their offences, deeming them before such an expiation and purification unfit to sacrifice, or to be present thereat, as odious to God, and in his sight deformed. 
Senec. Hipp. for▪ 9 Hom. Odyss. 22. Verg 6. Aenead.   

Quis eluet me Tanais, aut quae barbaris  
Maeotis undis Pontico incumbens mar●?  
Non ipse toto magno Oceano Pater  
Tantum expiaret seelus.  
What Tanais can me now so wash,  
Or Maeotis bog confine to Pontic sea,  
I think the Ocean fathers doth  
Can not acquit my crime in plea.   
Saladinus king of Babylon having taken the Temple of Jerusalem washed the same 
Baron. Tom. 12 pag. 983.  within and without in rose water, to free the place, as he deemed, from superstition. Also by the appointance of almighty God the jews had their washings and purifications by blood & water, to represent that innocency of soul, which he did require 
Heb. 9  in his suppliants and servants. And therefore the Apostle S. Paul to our purpose, and to signify perfect remission of sins under the Gospel, thus concludeth: If the blood of goats and bulls, or sprinkled ashes of a calf do sanctify those that are defiled to the cleansing of their flesh, how mu●h more the blood Christ shall cleanse our conscience? Therefore it is a great grace of Christ our Saviour, and so a worthy emprise of his Cross and blood, to rid our souls from the spot of original crime, to expel that harm from thence by virtue and benevolence, the which was cast into it by the trespass and default of our first parents. How are we otherwise redeemed from that general fall and ruin 
Rom 5. 1. joan 2.  of our kind, delivered from that deadly poison instilled into our souls by the suggesting serpent, if sin, the death of the soul, the festering corruption thereof, remain after justification by our Redeemer Christ? Than must be admitted, that we surrender more to our present justification and passion of Christ, than the Protestanter; account of him as more beneficial and gracious, than he doth: and then why not more charitable, more thankful towards so bountiful a benefactor, towards so good 
Luc. 10.  a Samaritane, that hath recured us, not only by a foreign imputation of health, by a freedom from pain, but by pouring in wine and o●le into the bosoms of our souls, where original sin had once harbour, and from whence it is now ejected? They answer, that although it were a more absolute and perfect justification to be purged 
Apoc. 19  from the sin and guilt thereof, than only pardoned externally by exemption from penalty, as in heaven it falleth out, where is a full and complete forgiveness of sins by their utter exclusion, yet in this life no such state is to be expected, wherein the will continually is inclined to evil, and by a deordination and corruption continually willeth naughty things, contrary to the law of God and nature, and so actaallie there 
Rob Abb. Defens. p. 249  is even in the best, a serving of the law of sins; Therefore sufficient it is for remission, that such mortal sins be not imputed. The answer is wicked, unnatural, yea blasphemous, 
According to the Catholic Christ taketh away our sins. joan. 1▪ cap 1.  the which by this argument thus I demonstrate. Our Saviour Christ in holy scriptures by his forgiveness is said to take away original sin; but it remaining and not imputed as punishable, in no verity of thing or deed, or in propriety of speech is taken away, therefore absolutely it is taken away by an inherent and opposite form of regeneration, or not at all. The mayor proposition is avouched by S john: The blood of jesus Christ doth cleanse us from all sin: We know that he hath appeared, that he might take away sin. He is the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, that 
Cypri lib de dupl. ci martyr. Beda in illum locum.  is original sin, according as S. Cyprian and Beda expound that place. The minor I make thus good. Not essential part or propriety of original sin is taken away by the justice of Christ imputed, therefore original sin is not taken away in any verity or fact. The Antecedent is manifest by confession of the adversary, admittingthe will essence and nature of original sin to remain still in the souls of the regenerate; and by consequence also reatus paenae abideth, the guilt of pain; in that as sin formally doth defile the soul by essence of it, so doth it make it odious to God, & worthy of eternal fire, the essence not altered: and as the propriety of ●isibilitie can not be sequestered from the nature of a living reasonable creature, no more can misdesert, or worthiness of eternal punishment be distracted from the essence of sin not changed. Than seeing that original sin neither in essence or in internal propriety is taken away, it is in no sort taken away: Yet, say they, it may be said to be taken away, in that resident, it is holden by God not punishable, and so forgiven. Nevertheless the Protestanter that thus striveth to maintain the empire of sin, and of Satan, in the very children of God, must grant, that in comparison, notwithstanding the blood of Christ, sin is rather in truth and deed not taken away, in that it abideth in essence and intern propriety, only taken away by an extern effect, that is by exemption from pain in hell, sin being hindered by the pardon of God, that it work not morally such a calamity. Than in prejudice of Ghrist his grace original sin is more properly and truly not taken away, than taken away: Yea I add, not taken away at all. For to 
Dan. 3.  hinder a cause from working an effect, is not to remove the cause, and take it away; as when God repressed the actual heat of the Babylonian surnace, the fire was not taken away: therefore God only hindering that original sin contrive not effectually the burning of any man in hell fire, taketh not away original sin. Than the Scriptures affirming original sin to be washed out and taken away, are either false, or the Protestanter heretical. If a Prince should pardon his son or subject, in act of rebellion, should he be said to take away the offence, it during in operation and combustion? Well he may hinder that their trespass bring them not to the block, or the gallows, but he can not take their offences away actually and essentallie inherent and apparent. How then doth God take away original sin from the regenerate, whliste actually they commit iniquity, yea of pride, of infidelity, of adultery, and the rest? well may he hinder the effect which is damnation, but he taketh not sin away in essence, inhesion, or propriety: surly a subtle manner of taking away invented by the Protestant, and a plain juggling trick, worthy the practised of a sot. But farther I press him; Original sin is neither taken away in essence, not in propriety of misdesert, nor in hindrance from working damnation, therefore in no sort taken away. That the essence of original sin is taken away, or the inherence of it from the soul, the Protestant denieth: then therefore is it not taken away in propriety, that is in worthiness of it to be punished eternally: for as the sin remaineth formally, so doth it formally pollute and defile the soul: as it doth so pollute and defile the soul, it maketh it odious and detestable to God, that beholdeth the turpitude thereof; therefore he truly and condignly judgeth the soul, wherein it is, according to his true and ●ust judgement worthy of hell fire and damnable: unless the Protestant will veil God his eyes, and affirm, that he seethe not original sin abiding in the regenerate, nor the formal effect thereof. Hereupon I infer, that it is blasphemy in the Protestanter to affirm, that together with this his knowledge, he hindereth such sin from effecting damnation, or imputeth it not for sin or punishable: first for that in this sense the very blood of Christ and his mer it should patronize sin, encourage men to sin; then that he should determine and decree contrary to his own justice, the nature of things, and his own words recorded in holy scripture. Proceed we punctually, and by the minute in the proof.  
6. Men know by faith, according to the Protestanter, that actual sin of concupiscence 
Christ apatton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Protestant.  or original sin in act, is not imputed unto them, not is hurtful, being restrained by God from working them damnation: therefore may they boldly venture upon any abomination or barbarous villainy with indemnity and patronage from the Cross of Christ, as hindered from the effect of penalty or of any torment in hell. Original sin, as is confessed by the Protestant, breaketh out into all manner of damnable sins as into the sins of 〈◊〉, of ang●● or hatred and the rest, st●●●ng up mame noisome and evil motions and 〈◊〉, from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of no man can say 
Wittaker l 1. 〈◊〉 cap. 1 & ● Abb. 〈◊〉. pag 254.  ●●ts altogether free. Than d●e the just and regenerate conten● deadly and damnably to ad●herie, to fornication, and such like crimes, yet by 〈◊〉 of regeneration are preserved from all harm thereby. Than may such believers b●●st●●●d from annoyed of pain or damage, performing whatsoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall design. O filthy regeneration of this brutish generation, when as according to their doctrine, Christ contrary to his own words, came not into the world, That 〈◊〉 dissolve the works of the devil, and take away the sins of the world, but ta●he● to emboldenmen 
7. joan. 3.  to sin upon 〈◊〉 of pardon in the 〈◊〉 act of 〈◊〉 sin: 〈◊〉 if original sin be pardoned breaking out also with consent into lust, and into al● sins opposite to the vettu sprescribed in the law of God and nature, th●● by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquitted, acted how soever, in that it is not imputed. This, this is the 〈◊〉 Minerva of the Protestantish Theology, to licence sin, to excuse sin, to lighten sin, to point out sin as freedom of an apprehending saith, and the sugared duty liberty of the 〈◊〉 gospel.  
7. Is ●● also blasphemous in the Protesian: vouching original sin in form and 
〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉  essence of crime to remain in a justified person, in that it is impossible to the just judgement of so right a judge and beholde● to deem him just, which actuall●e and habitually is informalitie and quality of fact and form inherence a kn●●e and wicked: it is repugnant to his will & affection to embrace in love of a father that person, which in work and condition is rebellious, a breaker of his sacred laws, one guilty of adultery, fornication, stealth, robbery, impiety, and such misdemean●●es. So that as the Protestant is blasphemous, affirming God to accept of the vertue● and works of man as good and 〈◊〉, which indeed are 〈◊〉 na●ght● and lamnable, so also is he blasphemous in the samde degree, defining that God 〈◊〉 him for his child and just, the which is worthy by act and habit to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉, and that in truth of th●●g, of form, and mi●●eserte. General 〈◊〉 pronounced of God his providence: The 〈◊〉 man and 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God: ●●●w than is a regenerate 
〈◊〉. ●4.  man grateful to his eyes, defiled with original and actual sin, being truly in 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  〈◊〉 and reality, his enemy and worthy of hell 〈◊〉: Thou hast loved justice, and hast hated 〈◊〉. Is then au evil deserving person by damnable concupiscence, accepta●●● to his 〈◊〉▪ Is not such acceptance adversary to his justice▪ It is: O lord thou 
〈◊〉.  hast loved justices, & they countenan, ●hath beheld equity: Certes no equity apparent in that censure, the which prizeth him for an honest man, for a regenerate creature, who indeed of fact is rather wicked and de●●●●able. 
The 〈◊〉 like doctrine 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 Luc. ●0.   
8. Hereon conclude we according to the rule of charity, that our doctrine Catholic concerning remission of original sin in the regenerate recommendeth and highly extolleth Christian justice, and the work of Christ in taking clean away the sin so by him pardoned and assoiled; washing the soul once polluted in his sacred blood working in baptism, his wine and oil of grace penetrating to the seat of sin, and thereout expelling the very blot & stain thereof: his wonderful power entering 
Luc. ●●.  into the house and kingdom of Satan, b●nding him there and disporting him of all his right and interest to man his soul; in that ●● excludeth sin from thence, by which he claimeth title to domineer: yea surpassing in obedience to his divine Fath●● the disobedience of Adam, and malice of the serpent, procuring that in ●●● his soul should be found not only grace 〈◊〉 but also abundance of grace, where 
Ro●  once sin held empire and pessess●on in abundance, as disputeth the Apostle On the other side the Protestantet as slave to Antichrist endeavoureth by all means possible to extenuate this gift and grace of regeneration, denying it of ability to take away original sin, to purge and wash the soul, and to be only of force to provide, that sin remaining and flowing in act and habit, be not imputed as punishable, rep●gnantl●● to the nature of justification, to the purity of a Christian life, and blasphen●ouslie in regard of the providence and judgement of almighty God.  
9 The same inconveniences against charity, the merit of Christ, and the divine 
Sinful liberty.  providencence, do also follow, if remission by Christ take not away actual sin. For otherwise should on be an offender, still a violater of all the commendements, be worthy of hell fire, be polluted with sin, be odions to God, and yet ●uste, which are unworthy properties of a justified man, and disgraces even to the very blood of Christ, by which justification is procured. Also if actual sin according to spot and stain be not taken away in justification, but abideth with faith covering the same, it may also stand with faith in act and work, without ani● loss or damage to the offender; which is brutish and detestable to imagine; in that by virtue of such a faith, men should have letters patents from God to commit any outrage, of villainy, yea to kill themselves by protection from the same faith. The sequel is evident, for sin in habit is as bad as sin in act; yea it is the same form, and on thing diversely considered; as heat remaining in the wood, is the same heat, which was in passage and action beefoore from the sire: then if habitual sin be not taken away by faith, but abideth with, it, so also may actual sin shake hands with honesty, with innocency, with a justifying faith; and so the Protestantish faith of justification is a brother and broker to knavery, to concupiscence, and all disorder of barbarity.   

Great Hope of God his grace towards us, through Christ our Saviour conceived by us, & moreover exhibited unto us, when we expect, and enjoy a washing away of actual sins by the grace of justification: an enemy of which sovereign Hope is the Protestanter, denying the effect and is hew of so desired a favour and benevolence.  
CHAPTER. XXVI.  
MAN by the very instinct of nature knoweth sin once committed to put the 
The harm of sin.  soul in a certain estate loathsome to the reason of itself, and also odious to the divine and supreme authority of almighty God. The one is proved by that irksome remorse of conscience we feel, grieving and repining at sin acted and conceived; the other by the general esteem we make of an overruling sovereignty above, whose prescript by offence we transgress, and after dread to encounter with that part of his providence, which taketh just revenge upon offenders. Whereupon 
Nature desireth an explation from sin  the ancient Pagans' so informed, when they were to attempt any notable enterprise, in the which was requisite some especial assistance from almighty God, feeling as it were their offences to have disgraced them in the sight of so great a majesty, that they 
Hom. Odyss. 1 22. Aenead. 6.  might purchase his grace and favour, by certain ceremonies called lustrations, as by fire, dust, brimstone, sea water, they endeavoured after their manner of religion to rid themselves of their sins. In this sort Homer recordeth how Atrides did purge his army by water, and cast the fil●h into the sea, before his battle: the like Virg●ll reporteth of Aeneas. Especially before sacrifice for reverence sake they practised this kind of expiation and abolishing of sin, perceiving it to be right true, which affirmeth Seneca of piety towards God: Neither is the honour of God chiefly reposed in the quality of 
Seneca l 2. de Benesi cap. 6.  the sacrifice, although of the best, and shining gold, but rather in the prous and good will of them that adore.  

Sed tamen ut fuso tautorum sanguine centum 
ovid. li. 2. de T●●st.   
Sic capitur minimo thur●s honore Deus.  
An becatombe of bulls blood powered out in sacrifice  
All one to god a● fra●incense, in which devotion lies.   
2. But this more effectually, and to a far better purpose, was practised by the 
Expiations of the jews. Levit. 9  jews in their diverse institutions of purifying by water, outwardly representing how that they endeavoured by an hearty forrowe to extirpate out of heir souls the infection and rust of iniquity. And almost every ceremony and sacrifice of that people so usual in shedding and sprinkling blood, declared the inward purification of the soul 
Heb 9 Amb. lib. 2 de Abta c. 11.  from sin, it being from thence to be washed and rinsed out: Therefore generally S. Ambrose teacheth: Both jewe and Graecian, and he, who soever, which believeth, must know how to circuncise himself from sin, that he may be saved.  
3. In which debt of sinful men to be delivered from their trespasses, to be cleansed 
●rue expiati● by our Saviour. Remission of sins pro●ureth that sins do die & be not. Augu. Ench. c. 52. 1. joan. 2. 1. joan. 3. Heb 9  from their defiling turpitudes and blemishes of the image of God in their souls, nothing is so serviceable, so beneficial, as the Cross of Christ, and his sared blood, cleansing all true penitent believers from so odious an excrement of offence, & fowl stain imprinted therein by the workmanship of Satan. The blood of our Lord jesus Christ, and son of God doth cleanse us from sin. To that end he appeared, that he might take away sins. Upon which ground Saint Paul discourseth by a comparison betwixt the blood of the old law, and this sacred and divine of the new. If the blood of goats, and bulls, and sprinkling of the ashes of a calf, did sanctify the defiled for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more the blood of Christ hall cleanse our concsciences? Than this our christian blood hath the preferment in two respects: first in as much as that blood, arrived only to the flesh, by a legal justification, ours attaineth to the soul for righteousness pleasing unto almighty God: Than for that this out blood is more operative and effectual 
How sin is taken away. Aug in Ench c. 15. 16 l 2 count julian cap. 5. Nusquam sunt, perierunt.  for sanctity and purity in the soul, than the other was for an outward integrity and regularity of the body. Sin therefore is taken away by the presence of an inherent justice opposite and contrary unto the same; and therefore by it the holy Ghost expelleth sin, as the sun doth darkness by the light, and God the devil by his grace, so that remission of sin is an effect of justification inherent, as expulsion of darkness, an effect of light in presence, & is brought to pass not by any action or urgent motion, but only by incomposibilitie & disagreeing natures of two so repugnant forms not combinable or coherent at one time in the self same soul or subject. There is nothing of damnation to those that be in Christ jesus, that is there is not any spot or 
Rom. 8. Gre. Naz. Or●. in Sanct. Baptism. Hier. in cap 2. Sophou. Aug. li. con 2. ep. Pe●. cap. 13. li. 3. de Symb. cap. 10. The heretics an e●●n●e of forgiveness of sins. T●tt. l. 1 cont. Martion l. de paenit lib. de Carne Christ  stain in them worthy damnation. S. Greeorie Nazianzene affirmeth baptism to be a virtue purging 〈◊〉 man his sin, and a washing away of all such obstructions and stains, as are contracled by sin Saint Hierome affirmeth a soul to be washed and purged by penance: S Augustine: we affirm Baptism to give indulgence of all sins, to take away offences; not to shave them: Holy baptism taketh away all sins.  
4. Antichrist hath always shown himself a great enemy of this singular grace of remission of sin, by the help of heretics his confederates; and namely by Martion, avouching sins to swarm even in the children of God; & all works effected by man his nature, the which he deemed intrinsically bad and vicious, to be sins hateful to almighty God. But especially he hath aimed at this mark and disgrace of the Cross by an opinion of justice imputatine, not affecting the soul, but residing outwardly in a mediator, avouched by Protestants, rainboe iustificatorians. For if the grace of justification be not inherent, it can not altar the soul, and expel any form whatsoever out of it, before therein allodged; in that the opposite justice distant from the soul, cometh nothing near the place of sin seated in the same; and therefore this extern justice can not exclude sin, but only procure it be not imputed, abiding still in quality of act or habit. So in ancient time the Gnostiks, and Puritans in 
Iren. l 1. ca 6. Epi. heres. 64.  what sin soever deemed themselves just, and the children of almighty God, as witnesseth S. Iren: Likewise Proclus an archeretike, as reporteth Epiphanius, denied remission of sin, to avoid the effect of extinguishing & abolishing sin, affirming it after justification rather to abide & to live in the root, although lu●king & in some converture defiling the soul. To the self same tenure define Luther and Caluine, and that in force of their imputative justice: Wherhfore, saith Caluine, from hence doubt 
Calu li. 3 Inst. c. 11. Sect. 26.  not, how God doth justify, when thou hearest that hereconcileth us to himself, not imputing our offences. Than sins in this guise are remitted, because God decreeth not to punish them, or beholdeth them in the soul not as effectual causes of any damnation. If original sin remain, if the same break out continually, as a furnace into flames and sparkles, so into all manner of sins and violation of all the commandments; if every work of man be bad and damnable, as Protestants desine, then sure in the just sin is not taken away by forgiveness, but only not imputed by indulgence. This imbecility and insufficiency of Christian justice they colour with certain texts of 
Psal. ●●.  holy scriptures; as when David saith those to be blest, whose sins are covered; as if remitted notwithstanding they still remained: also when it is pronounced, no man, 
Psal. 142. 1. joan ...  not not the just, to be devoid of sin, or justifiable before God. But the trial will clear the truth in this controversy.  
5. As theris no such such harm and disgrace of man his soul like unto sin therein 
The benefit of remission of sins.  festering & inherent, so is there no benefit more to be desired, than to have the soul, a proper mansion place of the holy Ghost, restored to purity, and rid of all such evil favoured shapes and forms, as sins be therein abiding. Wherhfore the Catholics attributing this grace and benefit bestowed on the children of God to the merit of Christ, have the greater occasion of ardent charity towards so pious and bountiful a Redeemer▪ whereas the Protestanter contrariwise attributeth no such desired effect unto his benevolence, yea not perfect and just redemption by him from such great annoys, and so detracteth from the virtue Hope in a notorious degree and quality. That sin is so grievous a detriment to the soul who can deny, considering how nature itself mispriseth it, repineth at it, reproveth it; and christian men informed by faith apprehended it even enmity with Allmihtie God and a deserving, that the offender burn eternally in hell fire? O wonderful deformity of sin, all the forces of nature in arms against it, to revenge the disloyalty thereof against so sovereign a lord and 
Sap ●.  commander! Is it not then a singular blessing to bear no more in our souls that fowl brand and ugly portraiture of sin? to object no more our souls as loathsome and ugly spectacles, yea odions, to the pure eyes of God his intelligence, to have rather such fowl marks burned and pulled out by the grace of justification▪ Doubtless it is? For what other end and drift of so pure redeemer, of so unspotted a lamb, than our purity and utter avoidance of sin? Who can live in comfort o● quiet repuse, as long as he perceiveth his soul so polluted, and so detestable to God, so evillfavored in visage, so disorderly in behaviour, so dishonoured with the excrements of hell and wickedness? Assuredly Christ upon his Cross, as fountain in Paradise, yieldeth 
Exod. 12. Rupert. l 2. in Exod. cap. 36  forth the precious liquors of water and blood, to bathe and wash Christians, that they be whire and pure And as the passage of the jews through the redd●se a prefigured the cleanness exacted by God at their hands, so doth our very first entry into the household of Christ by baptism, declare Christian neatness and ablution from sin: Otherwise how are good Christians by Christ his merit in Paradise, not slaves of the serpent? how otherwise reduced to the perfection of justice, to the childeship with God, and damiable how of the soul, we lost in Adam? Whereupon considering this recure & translation of the soul by Christ, we inflame ourselves towards him in charitable thanksgiving & affection, by a due acknowledgement of such a benefit received.  
6. But according to the Protestantish doctrine, there is no remission of sins, no 
Sins notremitted according to the Protestant.  aquittance for them, and no reconcilement of offenders with his divine majesty. If the actual sins now past of concupiscence, as of adultery, fornication, robbery, envy and the like▪ be not taken away, they are not forgiven or remitted▪ but that indeed a man remaineth still truly and properly vuiust, wicked and odious to almighty God, and such as the devil may challenge justly as his slaves and matter of his infernal cruelty. I demand of the Protestant, sins abiding, whether in the soul of a believer, they have their formal effects or no? To deny that they have, were in answer to imply contradiction, and impossibility; for if they stick formally in the soul, to the same they impart a formal effect of denomination: as if upon a wall be formally inherent whiteness, it formally maketh and nameth the wall white Than I conclude 
Just men rather wicked than just by the Protestant.  that just persons are formally adulteres, thieves, malefactors, odious to God, worthy hell fire. O goodly estate of the regenerate! Yet if they might be just with the like substance, amiable to God, it might in some part give satisfaction. But that it is so, it can not be imagined; in that the forms of adultery, of fornication, of theft, of in justice, formally are inherent in the souls of believers, and so the persons formally & indeed are adulterers, fornicators, thieves; whereas their justice is only in Christ, and they thereby redeemed, never a whit the better or honester men: then according to truth the children of God are rather knaves and wicked than good and tighteous. A proper imprise of the Cross, figured by the Protestantish Antichrist: sufficient it is, say they, for Christian expiatiou, that sins remaining be not imputed. What means this juggler by not imputed? Doth he thiuke that God seethe them not? that were to impute blynd●nes to him, who discovereth all things: Doth he signify thereby, that God hateth them not, or the soul for their sakes? Than is he blasphemous; for all sin 
Just men hated by God according to the Protestant.  is formally hateful and maketh the soul, wherein it is, likewise in formality hateful: then as the object is truly hateful, so the just judgement and affection in God doth hate the same. Are then the children of God hateful to God, are his recovered sheep, his washed Nazarites odious unto him, and from them doth he in disdain turn away his gracious countenance? I grant, saith he, that they be truly hateful and odious to God, and that God actually hateth them, in that Scriptures say, that God 
Sap. 14.  hateth the impious person and his impiety: yet are such sins not imputed, that is they be excused from hurting the party by hell fire, in whom they be. O full and worthy forgiveness of sins! Yet thus I urge the argument: God hateth all just persons according to the manner of the Protestanters, therefore he doth not exempt them from punishment. The Antecedent is already proved; for if he hate the sin, either in act or in habit, as no doubt he doth, so also as the soul formally thereby is hateful, so is it likewise hated: that the soul is formally hateful, is evident; because that subject in which is formally an hateful quality, is formally hateful: but in the just formally are hateful qualities, to wit deadly sins, therefore their souls are formally & in very deed hateful: then are they either hated of God, or else he doth not hate all things truly hateful, and so is there an object in the world not sensed as the thing requireth by almighty God; as if there were any thing intelligible in this world, not actually known by God his intelligence were defective, not comprising all; so if in the world were an object truly and really audible and hateful, yet not hated by him, his affection were not infinite or complete. And that God doth hate such justified persons is moreover evident, in that if the justice of Christ were not imputed to them, in whom such sins are found, they should be actually hated of God; but the justice of Christ external doth not altar the nature and formality of sin in the soul, therefore as without imputation of Christ his justice they were odious to God, and such souls as formally entertained them, so a●ter the imputation they are semblably hateful, the same object & cause formally not changed▪ but still abiding. Neither is it sufficient to say, that God doth not hate such sinners, because he imputeth not the sins to pain in hell; in that for example sake the Prince may hate & detest the act of treason, & also the traitor, & yet for policy or other respect, exempt him from punishment: so if Almighty God should decree never to punish sin or a sinner in hell, yet nevertheless should such sinners be odious still unto him, in as much as they be ma●a, naughty and damnable in form and fact Than God hateth and detesteth the children of regeneration according to the Protestant: Whereon I infer, that he doth also impute sin unto them, that is he holdeth them for sinners, and doth not privileged them from penalty, and so sin remaineth in all sort in them, as it doth in the children of Satan & perdition; for sin as it is hateful to God, so maketh it the soul likewise hateful where it is: But it appertaineth to the justice of God to punish such offenders, not amended, in form of offenders; and if a sinner by the justice of God remaining in sin is to be condemned the object of such hatred not changed by the justice of Christ, as is apparent, as there is still the same cause of hatred and imputation to pain, so is there after the imputation of Christ his justice to the soul the same cause, it nothing really or 
justified persons n onsters by the Protestant.  morally altered or exchanged Hereupon the Protestant is constrained to frame a monstrous conceit of a justified person, as to be indeed and verity together good & bad, beloved of God, and hated, worthy heaven, and ●ert deserving hell, sithence that all sins committed remain with the grace of justification.  
7 But is it not also blasphemy to surrender the better and greater title of interest 
The Protestant pleadeth for the devil.  to the souls of justified persons to Satan, not to Christ their redeemer? the which he doth evidently out of the grounds of his own position. For if a plea should be delivered about this controversy, the Protestanter is so good a proctor or advocate for the devil against Christ at the bar of equity, that surly the devil would by his means gain the suit, and enter lawful possession upon all the very children of regeneration. The Protestant will say for him, that in these children of regeneration inherentlie are found the sins of adultery, of extorsion, of rebellion, of impiety; and that thereby such children are adulterers formally, extortioners, rebels and ungodly, and so conclude that they be children of the devil his generation. And as for justification to exempt them from his claim and title, when the Protestant telleth the world, that they be just only by the justice of Christ in heaven, not just in deed, in form, or verity of fact, but in an apprehension, as an ignorant man may be said to be well lettered by the knowledge of Plato, a diseased person in health by the good constitution of Apollo, Satan will cry, all is mine, in that my right is founded in the things themselselues, that is in my sins instilled into their souls there inherent, and that, upon which Christ seemeth to ground his plea, only is external, it is not indeed, it is not true in reality of form, it is fantastical, therefore these children of regeneration are of my generation, my adulterers, my thieves, my rebels, scullions of my black guard and retinne. If the minister so arguing for the devil, yet grieve to subject himself unto him, or any of his brethren, let him then with any reason recover them out of his claws if he can: let him answer the devil only disputing and urging upon his own foundations and doctrine in matter of faith; understanding from him, how he with the children of regeneration are contaminated with deadly sin, by an apprehending faith only not esteemed knaves, varlets, impenitents, although fowl and filthy in soul in deed, hated by Almighty God according to his justice, and the nature of the things themselves.  
8. To conclude, this opinion of the Protestanter is far distant from Christian charity, 
Impure doctrine of the Protestant.  in that it bendeth altogether to impurity of life, to a licentious liberty, and a disportfull looseness, and that by the allowance of the Cross of Christ. For if any sin in habitual blemish and stain may consist with justice, and by virtue thereof be not imputed, so also may actual wickedness what soever, as hath been said, abide with the same justice in indemnity not imputed: By which persuasion the malice and frailty of man may adventure upon any abomination, privileged and warranted from spiritual harm by the Cross of Christ and his justice; the which to imagine is monstrous against all civil honesty, and blasphemous, repugnant to the perfection of Christianity. Pure then and heavenly is the Catholic doctrine, attributing that excellency to christian justice, the which can not remain with deadly sin, and contrariwise descrying that deformity in sin, the which may not allodge together with christian justice and sanctity; as hereafter shall be more amply declared.  
When therefore the Psalmist saith, that Christian justice covereth men's sins, and 
How sins are covered.  hideth them, the sense is that they be no more objects of God his view & intelligence, because they are not extant: for if they remained they could not be concealed from the eye of God, as is manifest: When sins are forgiven, sayeth S. Augustine, the sins descend, and grace doth arise: meaning the expulsion of sin by grace: Not that just men 
August in Psa. 102. 1. johan. 1.  be without all sin whatsoever, as speaketh the Evangelist S. john, but only freed from mortal offences repugnant to the grace of justification: Unless the Protestant will admit as good, that a person regenerate may without loss of justice, or hurt of justice, or hurt of soul, as well kill and murder his neighbour, as speak an idle word, or offend in quality, as all do in certain small daily offences. 
Charity approveth Catholic doctrine.   
9 Hear then by the rule of Hope may a resolution be made to approve the Catholic verity, in that according to our Doctrine, forgiveness of sins is an expulsion of them, a purifying and cleansing of the soul; whereas Protestantish indulgence maketh a man never a whit the better, is also contrary to the justice of God, and not worthy the Cross and merit● of our so so benign a Redeemer: yea according to the Protestanter, there is never in man brought to pass a true and perfect forgiveness of sins, not not in heaven, as if defiled souls therein were in glory, and coheirs with Christ. For in this life faith only justifieth, and so doth not expel sins, but barely 
Sin never taken away by the Protestant.  procure the abiding be not imputed; and in heaven the just seem to be in worse estate than on earth in regard of their sins; for that sins can not be taken away without justice inherent by a contrariety renewing aed purifying the soul, which justice inherent is not in heaven, in that according to the Protestanter inherent justice is justice of works, of the law, and not the justice of Christ; so that if Saints be eternally just by the imputative justice of Christ, they retain eternally inherent all their sins, and eternally remain odious unto almighty God; and if there be no better justice for man than that of Christ, as their only, & sole justice, they are always to be imputed unto them, and then sins shall never be forgiven: and according to this respect there is an equality betwixt the just in this life, and those in bliss. But here the blissful come behind: for upon earth sins are not imputed by reason of a faith apprehending 
1. Cor. 11. The vision of God is not given to make innocency, but to reward innocents. Apoc. 21. Cant. 4.  the justice of Christ; but in heaven is no faith, as the Apostle teacheth, in that it is evacuated as unperfect, by the clear vision of God: then are sins in heaven immortally in crime and guilt formally, and also in imputation to damnation, for want of faith to procure justification from such harms and calamitise. Fowl, base heresy! sins are in heaven in all manner of filthy kinds! In heaven I say, whereinto cometh nothing defiled, as pronounreth Saint john in his high and pure Theology! Wherhfore we Catholics desire of Christ purity, innocency, to be sheep newly washed, as speaketh the spouse in the Canticles, every one enriched with two young ones, as by contemplation and action, and among them none to be barren of virtue and good life.  

Intend nostris sensibus 
Prudent. him matur.   
Vitamque totam despice.  
Sunt multa fucis illita,  
Quae luce purgentur tua.  
Durare nos tales iube,  
Quales remotis sordibus  
Nitere pridem iusseras  
jordanis tinctos flumine.  
Quodcunque nox mundi dehinc  
Inficit at●is nubibus,  
Tu rex Eot syderis  
Vultu sereno illumina.  
Tu sancte, qui atram picem  
Candore tingis lacteo,  
Ebenoque crystallum facis  
Delicta tergens livida.  
Guard well our senses Lord,  
And life through aid above,  
For we with spots are blured  
Thy beams them far remove.  
Grant that we so remain  
All filth abolished from sight  
As shining without stain  
In lordane pure and bright.  
What darkness brings the night  
In mist our souls to infect,  
Thou king of Eastern light  
By splendent face reciect.  
Thou holy, who pitch so blacked  
Reformest to milky white,  
Thy Ebony crystal make,  
Sponge Ugly sins out quite.    

Catholic Hoop causeth fear to lose the grace of justification through occasions of sin, and therefore is heedful and pure. On the other side the Protestanter is a flat Puritian, that is carnal and bestial, defining justice once acquired not to be loseable, or in peril of falling from the soul.  
CHAPTER. XXVII.  
ALTHOUGHIS we prescribe no limits or bounds to the infinity goodness of almighty 
Why justice subject to loss. Rom 11. Quomodo moritur caro amissianima, qnae vita est cru●: Sic moritur anima amisso D●o, qui vita est eius Aug Tra. 47. in johan. c 10. D Th' 1 a 2ae q 8 are 2 & 2 Que 111 are 2 1 a 2ae q ●4 art 11. Intuemurquisque animam su5. si peccat moritur pecca●um mor● eil ani●nae D lu ct●●●: quod malū●st: con〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illa occidit. it Tra●in johan, 49. cap. 11. Ezech. 18. Isa. ultimo. Marc 9 Apo. 14. 1. Cor 6.  God, as if deficient at any time for the preserving of justice in man, or that he is mutable and changeable to reverse and contremand by a later fact, what before absolutely he hath once ordained; yet in that justice, his gift, in residence dependeth on the quality of our lines, and can not abide with certain sins forbidden us by himself in holy scriptures, therefore we define, that upon man his infirmity of malice, this precious grace of justification may be lost, and we offending of the children of God, become the Slaves of Sachan. For as excellenilie well teacheth the school doctor S. Thom as; the estate and quality of justification doth or absoblutelie and wholly rely on the will and pleasure of almighty God, but also on the property and behaviour of man his free will: the which being subject by reason of temptations from the flesh the world, and devil, to commit such crimes as are dealie wounds to the soul, and contrary to justice, therefore this justice is to be reserved in fear, being h●ble to hazard of expulsion through offences incident to our nature, especially so mfis me of itself, and so hardly and crastil ●lett on by the a suerse power of seduction. In louse then in man mis●arrieth, when by sin accomplished either in the understanding, as by infidelity and error voluntarily procured, or by misdemeanure of the will no oriouslie God or nature's commendement are volated: When the just man, saveth Ezechiel, shall tur●e 〈◊〉 away from ●● justice, and commit uniquitie, he shall dye in the same Lothen the just in reopardie to fall behold h●s fall the action of iniquity: regard the h●r●n● of such a fall, the death of the soul, an lavoidance of I fe by the grace of justification. The holy scriptures do denounce sent ●nce of damnation to the committees of certain sins, yea an inward consent only without outward per for mance, as to adultery, to fornication, to unnatural uncleanness: then as such facts are damnable, so do they put man in estate of damnation, utterly cast him out from the favour with God, as his child and dutiful servant. Nevertheless to such crimes the just and best men are exposed, as in danger and possibility to fall into them. Therefore they loose their grace of justification, and exclude the feed of God from out their souls by the malecuolence of free consent and disordinate appetite towards such unlawful pleasures. Be offendersin these grievous facts, in act of wickedness, just and beloved of God And who is absolutely secured from the snares of these grand offences? If the dragon with his tail drew from heaven the third part of the stars, that is so many bright Angels created first in estate of justification, is it marvel, that upon earth, in the empire of sin, the same dragon with his breath poison us to death, and 'cause our ruin by deadly sin? S. Augustine affirmeth some children baptized and justified 
Apoc. 12  after in the course of their lives, to because themselves of that justice, and so dye finally the children of Satan: Of the litleones baptized, let any man tell me, why one is prevented 
Aug lib 1. de pec. Merit c. 19 21. l. de Baptismo cap. 3 Quid enim skhodie videmus, quid, cras ignoramu. The Protestant a filthic Putitane.  by death, lest malice change his understanding; and another baptised is suffered to live, and becomes animpious parjon: If they had both died, had not both entered into the kingdom of heaven? Hear christian Hope thus informed standeth upon her guard in a watchful fear serving God, knowing salvation and present justification to depend on virtue performed by grace, and on sin accomplished by concupiscence.  
2. The Catharist, that is the Puritants, raised from the sudes of infamy by Luther and Caluine, rule the Protestanters' faith and religion, and make it plain puritanism; to wit carnality and bestiality, and that under colour of magnifying the spirit and heavenly grace of Christ. The old Puritan held opinion, that the just were not freed from sin, as if they could not commit the action of the same, but avouched that no sin never so beastly or outrageous was imputed to a faithful person, or bereaved 
I●en. l. 1. ca 1. Epiph hetes. 64 Hier. con. lovin.  him of present grace and justice: so did also affirm with them lovinion a gross and filthy heretic. The Prorestanter accordingly as he professeth himself justified by the justice of Christ apprehended by faith, so pronounceth he, that as long as this faith abideth, so long his justice doth remain: so that first this his faith, by his reputation, is preserved by God only from all possibility of utterdecay, never to be expulsed by infidelity, 
Rob. Abb. def pa 304. Cal l 3 Instit. cap. 2. Sect. 11.  than no sin of human concupiscence can commit that fact, the which hath power to exclude the same. God, saith Caluine, for ever doth regenerate only the elect with his incorruptible seed, that the seed of life sowed in their hearts do never departed from thence. And whereas some avouched that no certainty is left for men, that their justice shall ever endure, thus doth he in scorn reprove them. Suerlie a goodly hope of salvation 
Sect 40.  is recommended to us, as if only by a moral contecture we for this instant should esteem ourselves in estate of grace, ignorant being what will become of us tomorrow! But this dross must be cast into the furnace of trial, and so be proved what pure metal it will afford.  
3. Christian Hope being meek and humble, recommendeth unto us a moderation 
1 Cor 13. Humanity of Charity against the Protestanter.  in the esteem of our proper grace and perfection, and dissuadeth all arrogant challenging of any endowment serving for p●de and to a lofty conceit of vanity: But this kind of Hope is only proper to the Catholic by virtue of his doctrine and belief; contrar wise the opinion of the Protestater as touching his justice not subject to casualty of loss, is haughty and proud, therefore erroneous, and to be refused The former proposition is manifest out of scriptures, disproving pride as a vice especially in 
jacob. 4.  opposition to christian perfection. The m●n●r thus may be made good and veritable: When ●n in review of his own frailty, looking upon himself, as upon an earthen 
2 Cor. 4.  and oritle vessel, containing ●ui. the weight & moment of incitimable glory, which is the grace of justification, discovereth plainly his own danger, submitted himself in a fearful carefulness to the mercy of almighty God, thinks but basely of his one ability as concerning the danger infixed in his own nature, to lose the preciousest it well he can devise of, and as it were the whole substance of body and soul; On the otherside to claim a security and certitude in all events of action, of temptation, of God his ecret and just judgements, that never justice atcheeved can be taken from 
Ephes. 5.  us, is with security extreme pride and arrogancy; as not to repute ourselves brittle veslells, prove to fall, or that we walk in ways and times of danger, that we conversed 
Ephes. 6. ●. Pet. 1.  amidest so man●e adversaries, and that spiritual, as Sothan with his accomplices wonderful spiteful, crafty and potent to work our destruction: which is a resolution contrary to holy scriptures and a manifest presumption: The which, saith S Augustine, 
Aug l. de correptat great. c. 13. C. 6 Acceptangratiam Deisuo in malum libero amisit asbittio. idem cap. 8 justified in Baptism may be reprobate. de Praedest. Sanctor. ca 13. Quam multiintus ●udāt, postea blasphema●nn? Tract 45. in johan. c. 10.  in this place of temptation is not expedient, where is so great infirmity, that security may engender pride: Yea moreover he plainly avoucheth some of the damned once to have been in estate of grace and salvation, and by the secret judgement of almighty God, after to have wanted the gift of perseverance. The which secret judgement of God, this great doctor affirmeth to be profitable to us for our humility and fear; By reason of which secrecy, We mnst believe, certain of the children of perdition, not having received the gift of persencrance to the end, to begin to live in faith which worketh by charity, and for a time sustlie and faithfully to live, and after to fell, neither to dye before that this happen unto them. Than if a reprobate person may for a time be just and holy in action, and after be overthrown by deadly sin, what security of justice attained, as that it is ever to keep hold, and to beautify the soul? And what monstrous pride it is in the Protestantishe Puritan, to make himself by act of faith not only a child of God for the present, but also in view of the same faith to place himself out of all hazard of fall and ivine, as if not composed of flesh and blood, not inclined to distoyaltie towards God, as if not in case to make God enraged against him by his evil carriage, as if under his feet were all the devils in hell crushed and broken there in his victory and conquest! Foolish pride of the found Puritan, so to determine of his own estate and condition!  
4. But indeed this Puritanisme is plain bestiality, and a blytide flight of the crow 
The Protestant proud, yet but a sloven by profession.  to the carrion, of the scarabee to the filth upon the earth. The which thus I prove: Catholic Hope is employed in the observance of God his commandments, in that faith doth advertise, justice in the abiding of it to depend on the obeying of heavenly precepts and fullfilling them by grace; but no certainty is thereof by faith that any man shall keep the commandments, as he is willed in scripture, and as is necessary to salvation, therefore the Protestant hath no assurance of the permanency of his received justice, but such a one, as is Puritanical, that is brutish and unclean, The mayor is denounced by our Saviour Christ: Tou are my sisens', if you do those things which I command. 
joan. 15. Matth. 19  If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Therefore Saint Paul chastised his body, to retain thereby his justice, knowing that justice could not abide with a luxurious concupiscence therein: giving this reason of his severe entreaty of it, lest that when I have preached to others, I myself become a reprobate. Than made the 
1. Cor. 9  Apostle this severe discipline a means to reserve his justice in better establishment. Hear the answer of a Puritan. The commandments of God therefore are laid before us, not 
Rob. Abb. Defen. p. 280. Virtue no condition to be the child of God by the Protestant.  as the condition for obtaining of eternal life, but as the way to walk in unto eternal life First his answer is quite contrary to the scriptures, exacting the keeping of the commandments to eternal life, and so are either causes of eternal life, or at the leastle conditions requisite thereunto. Than the answer is beastly, ungodly, unchristian, and at one word Puritanical, that is abominable. For if the observation of the commandments not necessary conditions to gain heaven, neither is it to necessary remain 
I uther in Aphoris Fabrici loco; 9 avoncheth that men consenting to sin do lose faith & the holy Ghost Amittunt fidem, & spirirum Sanctum.  in iustice● which if it be admitted, then doth it follow, that there justice may abide, and heaven there be due, where is not the keeping of the commandments, but their contrary violations by adultery, robbery, fornication, impieric, infidelity, envy, treachery, rebellion: which concerpte, is to abuse the justice of Christ to villain, to make his Cross a dart in the quiver of Venus and Satan to provoke concupiscence, in that is absence of all virtue, and presence of all contrary vice, is there an estate of justice, and an interest to heavenly bliss, and so indemnity, liberty, freedom to all outrage of wickedness. If the keeping of God his commandments be not a condition to continued in the estate of justice, than virtue is no condition commanded in those laws. If virtue be no condition, than the absence of virtue hindereth not the remainder and abiding of a justifying grace: If the absence of virtue do not exclude justice, than the presence of vice neither doth repugn with the same: in that in defect of virtue must needs be abundance of opposite sin, bring no middle state for the soul betwixt good and bad to remain in. O●gominie of the Christian profession, so adversative to virtue, not requiring it as condition to persist in justice, and favour with almighty God It may be thus they will excuse this gross Puritanisme, and colour the filth thereof, saying: Although goodlife or the keeping of the commandments be not exacted conditions to remain in justice, yet are they necessarily consequens and followers of true justice, in that one once iudified by faith shall be preserved from all heinous breach of God his commanements, and be maintained in charity, the which keepeth the law: For overthrow of this slight but ask of dust and defencel propose this argument.  
5. Not Protestant now justified by faith hath divine assurance, that before he die, he 
The Protestantivall sin will be just & regureth for tue neither as 'cause not as conditions.  shall not fall into great and heinous crimes, or that now at this present he is not guilty of them: but all such heinous and grievous crimes can not remain with the grace of justification; therefore he recayneth no divine assurance that still he shall continued in grace and favour with almighty God. The mayor is evident: for what scripture or revelation telleth him, that he shall not, at least in consent of will trespass it formication, in adultery, envy, or such like, for all his life? Did not David and S Peter defile their souls, as Adam did also after justification, with great & enormous sins? What privilege then hath our Protestant, that this proper person retaineth no casuality in it to fall into the same or equal? O the well guarded and dadmintine breast of an apprehending Protestant! O sweet Paradise of his worship's soul, assured never to 
Isa. 34. Deus●non est salvator sapié tam, potentum, iustor●, sanctoiu, led solum Fidentifi quie quid fuerantnon refer● peccarot, publicamu, mere. 〈◊〉 lairo fuetis, Loather. To. 1. pag. 126. August. in Psal. 12 Rob. Ab. def. pag 217. The Protestants tears.  harbour vice or contamination, unto which all we Catholics hold ourselves subjects, dread them as bears, lions, and scorpions in the desert of our Pilgrimage. But in truth he need not be so nice and so may denlie, as if his soul were a virgin Puritanical; it will play the good fellow some times know, and dance a round and a currant with the devil, drink a health out of the full creuse of iniquity: Tush, Tush, a Protestantcan and will sin, he would not be without sin for a thousand pound by the year why then we will accept of him this confession: fi●st that for the present he doth not by divine oe●tayntie know that he is so just, as not guilty of any deadly crime, or that absolutel e he is actually just as he aught to be, and as is necessary to salvation: None of you, faith S. Augustane, daresy●, I am just. And for the time to come he will not refuse to acknowledge, but he may tumble into an offence of God, yea unto the violation of all the run commandments: what then is the quality of a just Protestanter? Every day giveth occusion of great lamentation and mountning by great and grievous trespasses against God and man. O Puritan in the kingdom of the goddess Cloacinal But who would pity this mouraing minister, when he crieth before he be hurt? Be of good cheer man, all is well: The child of God weep, and one predestinate to salvation! A pretty boy cry for a full, that hath no harm! Let the jew with his onions weep, not a brave Puritan with h●s gospel: Be still good ha●te, here is a piece of sugar: thou art just, thy sins are forgiven thee, Christ smileth upon thee: one laugh for a p●nny, or a friscoll with m●nsieur B●za his mate forall christian souls. I never heard of an old bearded doctor weep & mourn for nothing before ●f these great and grievous offences against God and man, despoiled the offender his soul of justice and friendship with God, if they se●t on fire and flame the sacred temple there of in Jerusalem, and expelling the holy Ghost seated therein Sa●han, then were there right good occasion of do●● and grief: but seeing by the ministers reckoning, they are bugbears o● hobgoblines that hurt no body but in conceit, I see no reason why he should lament or mourn at their a●●uall. Than have we this by grant under his own hand, that a just man may offend God and man by great and grievous trespasses. But such great and grievous trespasses c●n not abide with the grace of justification; therefore justice once atcheeved may be lost. If he deny the proposition 
●he sweeting sickness of a Protestant.  subsumed, he is a manifest Puritan; than the which name and title, nothing is more infamous, nothing so abominable, for according to this reckoning fal●e are those scriptures and void, which threaten damnation to adulterers, to fornicators, to murderers, in that a just person and the child of God, remaining so, may be an adulterer, a fornicator, a murderer, yet free from hu●●e: False are the words of Christ denouncing 
joan. 8.  him to be a slave to sin, that committeth sin, for that any sin never so grievous and heinous may 〈◊〉 with the grace of justification, with impunity, without all annoy or spiritual d●●riment. To the which loathsome Puritanisme must turn an eye as well the civil magistrate, as the Catholic doctor, when he shall hear from the minister of the beast & his bestiality, that a just and holy man, the child of God, 
A pretty household of God by the Protestant. Christiano nihil prorsus nego●●● esse debet, presertim in tentatio ne, cum lege & peccato. Qua tenus est Christianus est supra legem & pec●artum. Luther Tom. 4. pag. 46. The lore of a Protestant. Charity in purity defended against the Protest. Amb● li. 2. de Ab●●ham c 11 〈◊〉. 1. c. 1 & 6 spi. heres 64. 〈◊〉 ●●. de 〈◊〉 ca 1. 〈◊〉 con. jou. joan. 3. Ecclesiast. ●.  may betray his Prince and country, may ●●e in arms against him, yea spill his royal blood, commit any fact i● breach of his l●w or custom, and yet to have God for his smile father, and bring it to pass, that so holy a father retain many knaves in their knavery to his children and servants, regenerate in faith, and contaminate in work, holy in abstraction, defiled in condition, servants to Satan, and heirs with Christ, white by external imputation, and coal black by n●●td conversation: And of this quality is the fowl Puritan, with his rainbow of imputation. Than have I this in issue, that the Protestanter must either admit justice once acquired to be subject to loss, or else that all turpitude o● life be proclaimed lawful by him, as the liberty of the Gospel, as the licence of the Cross, and no sin or villainy to hurt a sound apprehending believer. Fie, who would not loath to dispute against this dunghill of the Puritanish ministery!  
6. Reduce we now the whole matter to a conclusion, according to the prescript of Christian Hope: We Catholics being rightly informed, knowing the grace of justification to be continually in jeopardy of loss and miscarriage, meeting with sin, to which we are much inclined, thereby become heedful and ●olicitious to eschew all occasions of great offences, thereby to preserve our ●●●ell of justice and friendship with almighty God: ●o time, saith S. Ambrose, aught to be without a guardfull taking heed sithence that there is no time free from fault. Neither do we allow of the Puritans or Catharists, Ioui●ians, Novatians, accounting them s●lues just and undefiled to death by committance of any crime whatsoever, as report of them Ireneus, Ep●phanius, Ambrose, and S. Hierom, but rather are we stricken in dread with the saying of our Apostle: He that committeth sin, is of the devil. Also we embrace and follow the good counsel of the sage delivered unto us: As from the face of a serpent fly sin, for if thou cemest near, it will bite thee: for sin hath teeth as it were of a lion, slaying the souls of 
The Pelagians professed, that there was no need for man to pray not to be said into temptation: for that man of himself is sufficient to overcome temptation. Aug. de Grat & l. a●. cap. 1●. accordingly protestants are Pelagians fea●ing no hurt by si●● Luther and Cal. Euangelisteres of Barbarism and the denial▪ to maintain ●●n  men. On the contrary side to the bane of pure charity, yea of all honesty and civility, the Protestanter is a Puritan, that is carnal and lose, with a pretended privilege from Christ, assuring himself of a steadfast estate of justice, never to be infringed or broken, not not when he shall commit any grievous trespass against God, and man; not not in the Very act of any sin hateful to heaven and earth, contrary to charity, yea without it: by which persuasion, or rather coll●sion, he first enhanceth himself in intolerable pride, then delighteth he himself in a security, as out of all gunshott from peril, as if no pilgrim here below, but a ci●●sen rather above, and finally becometh in force of his own doctrine a libertine wholly devoted to sin, audacious to dally and play with serpents of crimes in the green herbs of his own concupiscence, and yet in disport to receive no harm or annoyed from their poisoned stings. He reputeth his justice in fasetie, and in abode not to depend on the actions of his will as condition, but solely and merely on God, continually maintaining him in faith: so that God will still uphold and confirm his faith, whatsoever the will shhall determine or decree in filthy lust or unlawful endeavours. Finally thus assecured by an enchantment from some foul fiend, held by him as an Euangelister, he d●re adventure boldly upon any crime never so offensive to God and man He can not think that God will loose his hold, once supporting in him a justifying faith, either by his own sins, or the malice of the devil: or tha● he will change and altar his purpose and favour once having justified him in Christ; therefore hereon he assured, thereby is emboldened by confidence in almighty God, that he may without damasse to his justice give the reinss and licence to the weakness of his affection's, for in the mean while God holdeth fast: and as the sun by his influence continually maintaineth the rays of faith, although they shine upon a dunghill of evil life. In sum he is a Puritan, that is ● libertine, a beast, a Barbarian, deeming himself without detriment or hurt by defence of his justice, and apprehending faith. Suerlie in this respect I take the Turk comparativelie to be the angel, and the Protestant a grimed collier, or rather a deformed devil Alas, what security in this our frailty! Or rather what turpitude, if by the Protestant our fra●ltie be thus assured!  

Restitit Trota annis bis quints, 
Senec. Agam.   
Noctis unius ru●tura praeda.  
Ten years in arms stood Troy both night and day,  
In fine to fall, through sack of one nights pray.   
Right good is the counsel of S Ambrose: Let the home bred and the stranger, the just 
Amb. lib. 2. de Ab●aham ca 1●.  man and the sinner be circum●●sed by remission of sins, to the end that sin be no more committed.   

Hope Catholikelie acknowledgeth a grievous hurt by sin, and also in every one a debt to avoid the same. Against which pure and honest information standeth the Puritanical Protestanter in virtue of his justifying faith, making reckoning neither of the one, nor of the other.  
CHAPTER. XXVIII.  
diversly may we gather out of holy writ, yea from the very documents of 
The bad condition of sin Qui homicidium, adulterium, fornicationem idola triam, & similia quequae cōmi●erit, non propter fundamentum per ignem saluabitur, sed●amisso fundam●to aeterno ignetorquebitur. Augu. D. Fid. & oper. cap. 16. Psal. 5. Psal 118. Psal. 5. 1 joan. 3. Eccles. 5. Psal 33. 1. Cor 6. Mors quip animae est apostatate a Deo, quod primum eius pecc●tum in paradiso sacris literis contine●ur. Aug. l. de Fid. & Simbol. ca viti●. ●. Chr●. hom. 8. ad pop. josu. 7 Num 25. ●. Reg. 14. josu 7. Io●. ●. consent to sin demnable by regard of liberty there of otherwise necessity excuseth from ●●●ne Hieron. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Aug l●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ca ●. D● N●t & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 65. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ. Aug. de Fid. & op●. c. 17. Rom. 6. just men may sin mortally in incontinency 1, Cor. 12 Aug. Epist. 108. Aug. lib. 4. de Baprismo ca 19 Sinners not willing to repent are not to be admitted to the●a. crament of faith baptism Aug De●●. & oder. ca 21. Cyprian Ser. ●●de C●n. S●●pleton Se●. in dom. Pass. Prompt Mor. Excuse from sin committed derived from original sin according to the Protestant. Cal. 3. Inst. c. 3 Se. 1●, 12. Wit taker ● depec cat orig. c 11. l. de concupi. cap 1. Liberty of sin, if good works be sins.  nature, of what a vile, miserable and damageable quality is sin committed by man against the law of God and reason. Sin therein is declared to be an aversion from almighty God and all friendship with him, to be a bad thing engendered by Satan to hold an offender guilty of eternal fire, to strike the soul with a deadly blow even with deprivation of justice, to be an actual rebellion against the maker of heaven and earth, as it were a mark exposed to the darts of his most just revenge as teacheth S. Augustine. The malignant person shall not devil near unto thee: Behold a departure from God by offence, and the offender thereby an alien made from his court and courtesy: 〈◊〉 distant from sinners is health, here than is the malady of sin baneful. Thou O lord dost hate all that work iniquity; sin then is an object of God his ha●●ed and detestation: He that committeth sin is of the devil. A brat then of Satan is a sinner ● He that hateth hi● brother remaineth in death He that transgresseth in one, shall loose much good: The countenance of our Lord shall look severely over those that do ill: here is the indignation of God against sinners. Clemency prepareth a way, but the following of evil prepareth death. Those that commit such things shall not possess the kingdom of heaven: because that the like trespasses expelling a justifying grace, make the transgressor liable to hell fire, and exclusion from out heavenly bl●sse. Did not the prime sin of Adam deprive him and his whole posterity of a justifying grace? as also did not the Angels created in grace of justification after fall, become devils, revolted rebels & enemies against almighty God? S. john Chrysostome among the rest doth excellently well entreat of the malevolence and harm of sin; namely declaring how sin transformeth as it were the nature of a man to the quality of a brute beast, avileth and disgraceth nature; and thus he induceth Satan vaunting of his victory over man by sin: He that w●s ensigned with the Cross of Christ, now in his soul beareth my image; He that hath renounced me in baptism, doth in his life obey me. If we also call to my● de the grievous penalties inflicted on sinful persons, not only upon the parties themselves offendan●s, but on others also for their sakes, we shall in recountance thereof descry the odious estate of deadly and mortal sin. Achaz committed sacrilege, and lo all his people therefore are afflicted: Zambre defileth himself with the Madianites, and all Israel endureth calamity. jonathas tasteth of the honey contrary to his father's vow, and the host of God is put to flight by the Philistines: The s●aldiour enricheth himself with the spoils of the enemy against the law of God, & behold thousands of men's lives are cast into hazard of death: jonas charged with sin maketh the ship with all therein ready to sink, and to be●deuoured by the merciless waves. Than is sin the death of the soul, and an object of hatred in God, exposing the offender as odious unto his divine judgement.  
2. Moreover we Catholics considering the perfection of Christian justice, office and function, do not think it sufficient a little at the beginning and onsert of temptation to give some resistance, and after to yield consent, heart and hand, or to commit sin with some remorse, grief and resentment of conscience, but absolutely to withstand sin, that at no time the flesh over come the spirit, but rather to procure that after solicitation to sin from sense, the spirit be still superior, surrender not himself to sin, as a weapon against his own life and salvation: When that are dead to sin, sayeth the Apostle, how shall we still live in it? If dead to sin, then is sin by grace not extant in the soul, for so it should live by existence of true form and inhesion in the soul. If we are not to live in sin, then absolutely is sin not to be performed by ou● vital and frank operation or employment. If the just be dead to sin, then in the 〈◊〉 the flesh can not domineer and command, it may not obtain the victory, offer some small conflict and oppositions at the first encounter; We knowing tha● our old man is crucified, the body of sin to be destroyed. In the old man crucified, can not be found the same old man in life and action, in empire, i● conquest to have the majesty of consent in all our endeavours, but rather in the avoidance of sin, the regenerate do destroy the body of sin, excluding it from their souls, and not acting sin by their consents. And as the regenerate are free persons through grace, so are they not ●laues to sin, obeying sin as commander over them? for as speaketh the Apostle: you are servants to that you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to justice. Whereupon if the just suffer sin to be accomplished in their souls, if they yield to sin, they are slaves to sin, to death: that is they be in estate of damnation without all justifying grace. To those that are fallen, saith S. Cyprian, sins are as ha●le to fruits, as blasts to traces, as pestilence to herds, to ships as cruel tempests and storms.  
3. Whereas the Christian doctrine especially tendeth and is entirely directed to purity of life, Antichrist endeavoureth nothing so industriously, as by certain persuasions to corrupt the lame, and so to breed a contempt in men's minds of virtue, and all christian perfection of endeavour. The which order and issue of the Gospel the Protestant●● diverse ways laboureth to stain, and to corrupt this integrity of action by his judgements in matter of faith, to bring in a neglect of honesty's and a fearless boldness to adventure upon all sin and iniquity. First then to this purpose doth he dispute out of the nature of original sin, making the soul contaminated and defiled by necessity and ●low as it were of corruption from it with all manner of enormities He counteth therefore every faculty of the soul, as the understanding, the will, the appetite, bend to unlawful pleasure through Adam his first transgression, and now in a disorder and distemperature in all, to be wholly sinful; hateful to God, and worthy eternal damnation, and that in the very just and regenerate. Than moreover he defineth, that these abilities of nature so weakened and impaired, as it were so many fu●●aces do cast out continually as flames and sparkles, and as fountains do yield forth the streams, of deadly and mortal sins, and committments against all the virtues, against the whole ten commandments Thus doth he enfold and encompass man even by law of God and nature in a web of sin and of manifold deformities. Whereupon moreover he doth censure every good work of man as stained and polluted with the aspersion of deadly & mortal sin utter he displeasant to almighty God, only pardoned by the imputative justice of Christ, and in view thereof accepted for good. The which contagion of sin, infecting all the good works of the just and regenerate, they think derived unto them from the faculties of nature, out of which they activelie proceed, or into the which passively they are received. For in that the understanding of man, his will, and all other his abilities to work are sinful and odious to God, they impart the like malice and blemish unto all their operations: so that good works are sinful because issuing from sinful faculties of nature badly inclined, or in them placed as their seats and subjects; whereby they repute them defiled and odious unto almighty God.  
4. Also the same Protestanters establish the empire of sin, and the indemnity 
Sin commanded by the Protestant.  thereof by the very commandry of God and nature. For no man is ignorant, that both God & nature prescribe unto us the exerercise of virtues; the which endeavours of man being necessarily sinful, thereon doth it follow, that we are obliged to be be sinful, and that sin never so mortal or deadly of it own nature, is not imputed unto a faithful man, or in any respect harmful unto his soul.  
5. lastly moste urgent and capital for the liberty of sin standeth the Protestantish 
justifying faith of the Protestant is sinful.  faith of justification, because they attribute justification from sin to that faith, the which believeth no sin to be imputed: The which faith may consist with any 
Faith & knowledge cathe● encreasennnne th● pardon it Aug. lib. de Grat. &. l. arb. c. 3. 10. Tra. in johan. cap. 1. Chris hom. si ad pop. Original sin forgiven is cause of a pure l●fe. Aug. in Ench. c. 64. Baptism taketh away sin Tollit, detra hit W. taker. lib. de concupiscentia. Luther's faith stronger than his wine or verity. Fidelis per solam fidem potest erigere seize, concipere cer●am & fitmam consolationem: & non pallescere a fancy peccati, mortis, diabolt, & omnisi malorum Luther To. 2. just persons & regenerate may sin against justice and chastitis. Act. 8 Aug. Epi. 108 Iren l 1. cap. 7 Tertull Apol. The quality of virtue is as spur unto the same. Aug. lib. 2. de peccator merit c. 4 soluto re●tu, quo vinctos originaliter de●nebat, ad ago nem interim manet.  sin, and so excuse from damnable fault the offender in the very act of sin what soever, as in the trial shall appear.  
We Catholics do not deem as original sin either the bad inclination of nature, or the indeliberate and first motions of a necessary and natural concupiscence; thereunto induced, for that we behold them to be in persons holy and justified: knowing otherwise such to be the excellency of Christian justice, as that it may not abide in a soul subject to sin, in a soul defiled with innumerable sorts and kinds of mortal offences, in a soul hateful to God as teacheth S. Augustine. Whereupon we eschew such trespasses against the law as a wrack and ruin of justice and salvation; and thereupon in charity become more pure and void wholly of all mortal and deadly stain. Contrariwise according to the reckoning of a Protestant, man hath no reason to dread the committance of any sin, the purpose of any sin, the intemperate act of any sin; in that actually, and that continually, he doth whether he will or not, violate deadly all the ten commandments, offend in adultery, infornication, infidelity, envy, murder, and that with a sufficient consent to a mortal crime. No cause therefore is therefore a Protestant to fear sin, or to retain a care to avoid sin, in that by will and appetite he doth still nothing else but desire, wish, purpose deadly sins, repugnant to all the virtues commanded in the decalog. The Protestant is of opinion, that for one to be guilty of adultery, theft, murder, it is not necessary he should freely consent unto such enormities; in that all such offenders have no free will or sufficiency of grace to the contrary; and so is it all one whether they be committed by them in sleep, or in time of waking, upon deliberation or in a passion and frenzy; fn that equally they were voluntary and free in the will of Adam: only is then according to him required, that men do desire such bad things, and consent unto them in appetite of william. Than what need a faithful Protestant regard much what he doth or intendeth to compass, in that whether he will or not, he shall be adulterous, covetous, unjust, incontinent, and a violater of all the ten commandments, and yet such sins are not to be imputed unto him, or to become hurtful to his soul? For if he should say thus with himself: Tomorrow I mean to murder such a man, or to kill myself, he shall have no reason to think himself by such project and intents devoid of a justifying faith; in that he might repute them truly only natural acts of concupiscence, the which concupiscence in its whole latitude arriving to the breach of all the commadements, is not imputed unto him, and he knoweth by faith as much. So that to say that concupiscence in act is not imputed to any, is to affirm, that the designments of murder o● of any villain are not imputed, in that the sins are equally mortal; and for that such sins necessarily issue from concupiscence according to the Protestanter. Hear than is the goal and end of protestancy, to perform all things never so wicked with indemnity and liberty in the lord; & it is that odious dunghill of Puritanisme, the which in primitive time of the Church defamed the name of Christianity even with reproaches from Pagan's themselves, as termed meneaters, workers of sin in darkness, Euersores luminum, as writ Iren: and Tertullian.  
7. As the Catholic admitteth no formality of original sin remanent in man after baptism, so doth he think worthily of such good works, as be virtuous endeavours, and of such functions, as the Holy Ghost by grace & regeneration stirreth up in the justified. Wherhfore for the abolishment of the empire of sin through Christ jesus, and for the desire and love of purity, we esteem virtuous works first as morally good, in reckoning of their proper ends and circumstances; then also good supernaturalle and Theologicallie, through the grace and motion they have from our head Christ jesus: Whereupon is engendered in us a greater desire of virtue, and a more main hatred of sin so opposite and repugnant thereunto. Contrariwise 
Ne sequaris judicium rationis, quae dictat Deum irasei peccato ribus: sed mactata ratione crede in cum. Luth. Tom. 4. pa. 76.  the Protestanter seeketh continually for the preferment of sin, and in despite of all christian righteousness to place it not only in the soul, where the same abideth, but in the very action of righteousness, of sanctity, as cohabitant with what goodness it may obtain howsoever. Against which position thus I dispute▪ If a man may purpose to do a good work, and thereby perform a bad one and a mortal sin without hurt to his justice, he may also determine with himself upon the same warranty of not imputation to commit murder or any other villainy: but the sequel is wicked, it is abominable, it is Puritanical; therefore also of that quality & condition is the antecedent part of the same proposition. The mayor is thus proved: To purpose a good work, is to purpose a deadly sin, to have in act a good work is to retain in act a deadly sin; but than a deadly sin in act can not be devised a thing more malignant and contrary to justice, therefore the quality of deadly sin in the purpose of murder can not work greater annoy to justice, than the mortal infection adjoined to every virtue, equally both being hatefell to God: if then one be not imputed but lawful and not hurtful, neither is the other to be imputed, to become damageable or distressful: rather it is to be supped up by a lively faith, and so not imputed. O lively saith in a dunghill, and in the carcase of a stinking carrion! It is surly a very sport, se●t aside the doleful event, at which christianity grieveth, to behold the Protestanter shifting and struggling to avoid this absurdiditie, to wit that a good work should be a bad one, that a work procured by the holy Ghost should be infected by the devil: that in a work, to which all are obliged to put in practice, should be descried the hateful condition of a mortal sin. Whereupon they refuse and abhor to say in express terms that good works are sins, although Caluine directly avouch it, and it is evident out of his doctrine; but affirm only, that they have some blemish of sin, some aspersion, some touch thereof. A fond collusion of words to colour a fowl heresy, and to dally 
Rob. Ab. def. pa. 587.  and play with the simple senses of their ordinary followers. According to this phrase of speech a man may say of a believer, if he behold him committing theft or coulenage, that the man is an honest man in substance, yet hath only some touch and aspersion of knavery & sin, and reduce all abomination in the world to a touch and an 
Rob. Abb. his touch of aspersion.  aspersion. How gentle & civil is our Protestantish minister in the matter of deadly sin! But let me question a little with this devils clerk, & sprinkler of sin. Doth not Caluine hold all the powers of man his soul to be vitiated & defiled by sin, in that pro●e to sin? The minister will grant it. furthermore doth not the same Caluine thereon conclude, that all works proceeding from those faculties, or received in th● passively behaving themselves, if virtues to, admit a deformity, a blemish a stain of a mortal sin, as the water doth. otherwise clear, receive contagion from a defiled channel? True quoth the minister: Than good Sir, have we as granted, that the formal 
Perkin refo. Catholic Se. of good works. Non sequitur peccator es, ergo Deus te odit. Luther. Tom. 4. pa. ●87.  & principal part of a deadly sin is excited when a man worketh well. If there be a formality of sin, a stain and blemish then effected, I pray you in what subject resideth it, or will your wits put it out of all subject and material cause? A subject it must then needs have: And where then is it, but in the substance of a good work made by the faculty, or seated in the same, and so from a polluted faculty it receiveth this formality of deadly sin. If then the substance of a good work be a common receptacle of good and bad, of the formality of virtue, & that of sin, the self same act is good & bad, & a good work in the material sense, is a mortal sin: for no man can say that a good work, as good, is a mortal sin according to the form of the thing; neither do we charge you with it, but only that you teach the same work to be good and bad, and a good work materially to be in form a mortal sin; and that the same work is truly good and bad by two formalities subjecteth in the same act. Wherhfore it is a simple similitude of the minister comparing dross sticking to gold, to sin adhering to a good work: for dross is a distinct substance and suppositum from gold, and so can not give any denomination to gold, as to say gold is dross; but the malice of sin is inherent, as a moral quality in the act of virtue; and so the self same act is a virtue, and a mortal sin. But that it is impossible one act to be thus diverse and quartered in quality of good and bad, I have otherwise proved: Wherefore the minister thus informed, in thus sort I shut up the argument. To a believing Protestant is not imputed a mortal sin in act, whilst he doth well, not is such good work being materially a mortal sin hurtful un to him therefore neither is adultery, rebellion, impiety, or any wickedness in act imputed unto him, or hurtful to his sweet gospelling and puritanical soul: Equally there is offence on both sides, and a moratll sin. The cause is, for the will produceth them with the same necessity, in that according to the Protestanter he that committeth adultery doth it of necessity, and so no difference may arise, for that the contagion of a mortal sin proceedeth from nature to a good work of nature's necessity: The sin adhering to a good work is the sin of a concupiscence; and adultery is but a trick of concupiscence, whilst faith standeth aloft to shield sins from annoy, to conceal them from God his sight. Than is a Protestant a free man, his prentishipp is out, he may play the varlett by commission of faith and belief.  
8. Although we be prove to sin, yet is nature's propension reclaimed by grace, 
The commandments of God & naturest and against sin. Aug. l. de Gra. & l. arb. cap. 3. Christians both depart from out Egypt of sin, and also enter in to the read sea of Baptism and faith in Christ his passion. Aug lib. de Fid. & . cap. 11. Rob. Ab. Def. pag. 588.  and especially by the commandry of God and reason, prescribing unto us the avoidance of sin, and practise of all virtue. Wherhfore to attain purity, our Catholic charity regardeth reason and the will of God, thereby to eschew sin and embrace virtue & innocency: on the contrary side the Protestanter maketh the very commandry of God and precept of nature to tie men to sinne●, and to defile them with the vile filth and ordure thereof: affirming those virtuous endeavours to be mortally sinful, to which we are obliged by God his law and also instinct and precept of natural reason. Whereupon I frame this argument: All the good works of men prescribed by God and nature are mortal sins, therefore we are bound to commit mortal sins, yea God and nature are principal authors, inducers and persuaders to sins. The antecedent they grant as good, and deny the consequent or illation upon a distinction, saying the law of God and nature only to bind to the good act in as much as good, and not to the same as bad and defiled by original sin, in that sin is not implied in the duty, but ariseth by casual and accidental necessity from the condition of the man. First who ever heard of a casual and accidental necessity in any work of man, of which dreameth the slight brains of a minister? If it be impossible that otherwise it should fall out, or that the act of virtue should not be sinful, as now it is, supposing the sin of Adam, how then is the duty thereof to God casually and accidentally polluted with sin, being impossible, that concupiscence now should not be in man, in that by nature all men, as sayeth the Apostle, not by chance or accident, are borne the children 
Ephes. 4.  of wrath? O the casualty of sin in an act nought and corrupted by the law of nature, and not to be altered by any man his endeavour what soever! Yea that the good works of men are stained with sin according to the Protestants own principles is more necessary and less evitable, than that the act of murder is a sin, or adultery, taking the act in the materiality: that is, it is more impossible that a virtue according to the material part thereof should not be stained with mortal sin, than that the material act of murder and adultery should be freed from such blot of deadly offence. I frame then this argument to trouble the silly sophistry of the minister. Man is bound by God and nature to perform that act, which is necessarily in the highest degree sinful, therefore he is bound to sin, and to that sin of which God and nature are principal causers and authors. The antecdeent is thus averred. There be two causes of sin, to which sin is imputed, the one is the physical cause, as the will of man or angel that sinneth, the other the moral, as he is, that persuadeth sin to an other by bad counsel or word; & that these two manner of agents do sin is not required an 
Sin is not purposed as sin.  express intention to sin directly with will of sin; for no man so offendeth. For example, he that committeth adultery, doth not formally and directly intent to sin, yea he wisheth rather that such a voluptuous act were no sin: nevertheless he sinneth, because that such an act with all circumstances adjoined, is sin, and that of necessity. Also one that counseleth an other to forswear himself for his own lucre, doth not purpose directly the sin of petiurie, but only the outward act, yet sinneth, for that such an act invested with those circumstances can not be otherwise than sinful. Therefore if man be bound and obliged to commit that act, as the Protestant anoucheth, which is of necessity sinful, he is bound to sin: and so if men be obliged to be virtuous, if the act of virtue of necessity be contaminated with sin, and this thing be foreseen before the act, man ●s bound to sin; yea after a straighter manner of obligation through necessity, than he is in the case of adultery and perjury: for that substantial act which now is adulterous, is so merely casually and accidentally, because the party with whom the sin is committed might in human morality and occurrence of things, be the other party's wife or husband, and so the fact is by chance only sinful: so also the act of perjury might be lawful, altar only the matter, which may fall out all●o no natural possibility in the mean season infringed. But that any act of man's soul should not be a deadly sin, is altogether impossible according to the Protestants grounds, and it can not otherwise be by any human action or event, seeing that only Adam's sin supposed, and nature corrupted thereby, by extremity of necessity all endeavours of men are polluted therewith, as with a stain of a mortal sin; therefore obligation to virtue is a more forcible obligat 
bond to sin is found in all according to the Protestant.  on to sin, than is the obligation to adultery, murder, or perjury: because these acts may be good and lawful, according to human policy and events, as to use familiarly the party to one espoused, to kill by public authority, or for defence of a man his own life, to swear a truth: Where as by no human chance it can fall out, that, virtue be not polluted with stain of a mortal sin. Let the minister suppose one to be bound in conscience, or else to purpose to kill or to steal: Than I demand of him, whether in this supposal there were not an obligation to sin, and an intent of sin or no. If he answer it were: Than I ask the reason: and he will tell me if he have any wit, for that such acts are necessarily conjoined to the formality of sin, the which of necessity will adhere to the act of the will, as soon as it is produced. But then I will infer, that if a virtuous act be a mortal sin of greater necessity, than is the act of adultery or murder, as hath been proved; then should there be in the obligation to virtue, an obligation to sin, and ●n the purpose of virtue, a purpose of sin, which to affirm is abominable, and a very villainy of the Protestantish faith and religion. The consequent consisted on two parts; the first that men should be obliged to sin by God and nature, the which is already proved, the other implied that God & nature should be principal authors and causes of sin: The which thus I maintain as good and as a just inference. God and nature persuade and induce men to that act which of extreme necessity is a mortal sin, therefore they are causes of mortal sin. The Antecedent is admitted by the Protestant, but he denieth the consequence upon a distinction, in that God and nature do not persuade any act as sinful, but only as good and lawful. Nothithstanding, this distinction, for the denial of the consequent, is insufficient, yea childish, and frivolous. For example, if one should sit down upon a stool unclean, although he intended only his ease, yet knowing the event, should be cause of the defile of his apparel, as is evident, for that such an event is foreseen as naturally and necessarily following on the act intended: so likewise if one should persuade an other, with the like knowledge the same sitting, he also should be cause of the same bad success, although he purposed directly and expressly 
Inducementes to virtue are inducementes to sin according to the Protestant.  no such thing: Even so God and nature, if they excite men to actions necessarily made evil, as the immediate natural and necessary cause of sin, they are also causes of sin, although not directly in form, yet in a mediation of cause; in that an effect may becaused in an immediate action arriving to the effect itself, and also attaining only to the cause thereof naturally and necessa●●lie thereon ensuing: for example, he that is cause of his own drunkenness doth not expressly desire or immediately procure drunkenness, but only is cause thereof in drinking toe much, whereupon drunkenness is a necessary consequent: In like sort if God and nature produce in man any action, although otherwise good, yet if that action produced be the necessary and natural cause of sin, they shall be deemed as causers and provokers of sin. But according to the Protestanter this good action or work, in as much, as an effect of nature in man corrupted, and made vicious, doth necessarily imply the efficient and material cause of sin; that is, sin is a necessary effect of that power and act in man prescribed by God and nature, therefore to persuade and will such an act, is to persuade and command sin. The cause is otherwise in the infusion of a soul into a body propagated from Adam in respect of original sin, in that the immediate cause of sin is not the information of the body by the soul, although the same be required as a condition to contract original sin, but the common free choice of the will in Adam. But here is a dispute not about habitual sin, but actual and personal, and therefore God must be author of it, if in the person offending be a necessity of sin, especially if Adam also offended by necessity, as the Protestant teacheth. No marvel then if sin hurt not a Protestant, or that he need to be affrighted to commit sin, when he induceth God and nature as authors of his sin, and sin is not imputed by reason of a faith apprehending the justice of Christ.  

Qui mala principio genuit Deus esse putatur, 
Prudent. Hama●●.   
Quique bona insecit vitsjs, & candida nigris!  
Par furor illorum, quos tradit fama dicatis  
Consecrasse deos Febrem, scabiemque sac●ll●s;  
Inventor vitij nonest Deus. Angelus illud  
Degener infami conceptum ment creavit.  
Calvinoita Deus tristis, ferus, insidiator.  
God some men deem the prime effector of our offence,  
As if good with bad, and white with black he did dispense.  
Like frenzy certes of those in saith, who for religions sake,  
To scabs and se●ers temples do in honours view erecting make;  
Not, not vice did God first invent, but rather author of the same  
The infamous Angel, who by sin from ra●e of hate condemned came.  
He in mind of man engendered crime: whereas a god of Caluins' style  
Is cruel, fierce and maynlie cell, devising how man to desile. 
The Puritan his bo●e of honesty. The impurity of the Protestantish saith of justification. S●●e cavendum es●, nequ●squam eristimet infanda illa crim●n●, qualia qui agunt, re●num Dei non possidebunt, quotidie perpe●●●nda. Aug. in Enchi●. cap 70. Nemini enim d●dit laxamentum peccandi, quamuis mi●erando del●atiam sacta pec●ata Aug. in Enchi●. c. 70 De Poenit. Dist. 3 c sane. Clem Alex. l. 4. st●om. Si quis dil●git mund● non est charitas Pa●●is in ●o. Quo autem pertinent omnia ●●●i tia mo●um malo●●● nisi ad mundi huius dilectionem● Ac per hoc illud primum praeceptum quoad baptizan●os pe●●n●●e 〈◊〉, sine 〈◊〉 mo●● us o● 〈◊〉 pacto potest. Aug. ● de 〈◊〉 & oper 〈◊〉.    
Why then is it not as lawful and as har● elesse for him to commit adultery, perjury, injustice, or any other villainy? And if faith abide with the former deadly sins, why not with the later, and with the purposes of any wickedness? Hear is a bone for the minister; and if he can not wreak it, let him wear i● in his cap for a ma●ke of a loathsome Puritan.  
9 But above all other Protestantish incitements to sin and liberty, to commit the same without annoy, serveth their faith of justification, the ve●●e instrument of Antichrist to work the corruption of all purity of life and conversation. Thus than I argue: If that faith justify, the which believeth sin not to be imputed, then is there neither bond to avoid sin, or hurt in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but rather from such a faith a liberty granted to sin: But the Protestant accounteth of no other justifying faith, it being the l●fe and marrow of his religion, therefore doth h● account neither of bond to avoid sin, nor of harm by ●nne, but acceptethe of it rather as lawful and allowable. The ma●or proposition thus is proved. The obligation we have to eschew the sins of adult●rie, of fornication, of mu●ther, ariseth from the harm such offences do cause, as if they should exclude an offender from out the friendship of almighty God, and so make him a slave to the devil, he having sufficient and competent assistance by grace to avoid them: But there is no such annoy or damage by them, if justification proceed from a faith believing they be not imputed; in that there is no opposition or contrariety betwixt that ●aith and any crime what soever; but rather a coherence & a causali●e in the ve●●e nature of th●ngs, why they shoul● consist both together▪ For the sin is effected by consent of will and is the object and cause of a justifying faith: the faith resileth in the understanding, and exp●cteth as it were sin in the w●ll to work upon as object, when a man believeth that which his will committeth, is not imputed unto him. And unless we consider this faith to abide with actual sin never so mortal, and deadl●e, we shall never behold it in practice of it proper function and work; in that it is the office of faith and ●ct thereof, ●● believe sin, as murder and adultery accomplished by the will, not to be imputed▪ Than I conclude: If sa●●h justifying do a●ide with the act of adultery, or murder, it justifieth t●e soul from their crimes in the very moments they are committed: If so, then is there no harm from any sin by the p●●uiledge of that faith, o● any bounden duty to resist and 〈◊〉 ●hem, their acts being tr●ed from a●oy by fa●th, and the offender not hau●ng a sufficient g●ace to repel them but are rather necessary effects of concup●sc●●●e taking awa●e free will, and through a necessity enjoining the will to perform them, as the Protestan● doth generally licensing sin from God, determine. Far otherwise doth our f●●th define unto us for purity and charity, advertising us, that faith will rather aggravate than excuse our offences, and that if we break in matter of mo●●ent the ●●wes of God and nature, we shall lose thereby our grace of justification, become revolted enemies to almighty God, and thereupon do we restrain the b●nt and incl●●ation of concupiscence to such evil demeanours. For this cause in those rude Hebrews had almighty God a principal intent to procure purity of life, and extreme hatred of sin; forbidding them to touch or eat diverse things by his precept held as unclean, for that such things prohibited in some sort did represent in their deformities the ugly shapes of sin; as the hog filthy concupiscence, the k●ghte cruel oppression of the poor, blood in form the inhumanity of manslaughter, upon whose aspects those people abhorred sins in their loathsome pictures and representations. Whereupon we Catholics as we apprehended the malignant nature of sin to h●ue force, as the seed of Satan▪ 〈◊〉 expel a ius●●ify●●g grace, the seed of God from our souls, so are we thereby pure and hedeful to eschew such a bale and shipwreck of our good estates.  

Sed magis al●gera est, magis & medicata sagitta 
Prudent in Hamart   
Quam iacit umbrosi dominatio lubrica mundi  
Eludens excussa oculos, calamique volantis  
Praepete tra●s●ursu cordis penetralia figens.  
But swister is, and poisoned more  
The dart of worldly power obscure,  
Deceiving eye in flight, therefore  
To ●ill the heart it holds in ure.   
10. Now hath the Protestantishe fancy and Venus licenced the world to sin by a certain faith of indemnity, if an offendant only can but believe that his crime in act is not imputed, that the justice of Christ be apprehended by the understanding, whilst in the mean season the will raceth out into unlawful liberty. An easy safeguard from faith in the currence of iniquity: for who can not believe in the mercies of God, although he yield to wickedness! If the understanding will serve for security for innocency and indemnity of sin, only believing, than this saith maintained by the word, yea or otherwise, it being so pleasant, so profitable for pleasures, by the same one may save himself in the use and delights of any turpitude: For if there were no sin in man, than had faith no cause or motive to exercise her act, believing sin not to be imputed: so that then this act is to be produced, when sin is performed. Than doth faith not only remain with any actual sin, and justify from▪ it, but dependeth of sin. O vile indignity of Epicurism in the heart and soul of a Protestant! Neither is it requisite that one which consenteth to attempt treason or murder, that he refuse first to believe the Gospel and promises therein contained, that he believe no more that God is his God, and Christ is his Crist, as speaketh the minister: for that this believe being an act of the understanding, findeth no opposition with the action of the will, and so there is no cause of infidelity▪ than remaining faith there resideth with the same a warranty to commit whatsoever bad is suggested, & in virtue of that faith it shall not be imputed. This is the sink of Puritanisme and Gnosticisme. O light of the Gospel▪ 
The Protestants confess al●sinne to be with justice w●●●out harm. Ca● 6. ca epi. ad Rom.   
11. But here needeth not any long discourse ●o prove the immunity and liberty of any sin to a believer, seeing that not onel●e reason and experience prove the same, but also it is affirmed by the words of their own mouths and styles. Whereas the Apostle S. Paul avoucheth death of the soul to be effect of sin, Caluine a Protestanter thus contremandeth: How soever you be defiled with sin, nothwistanding you shall live, and the Apostle promiseth unto you t●is life, so that you only follow the endeavour of mortification. Than may a man in act of adultery and murder obtain life of the soul By faith, if the offendant be not a very beast, and have only a desire of mortification. So that the act of any wickedness hurteth not, if there be a displeasance of the fact, and a wish that the matter went otherwise. For saith Caluine: The Apostle doth not exactly require the death of the flesh, but only commandeth us, that we endeavour to 〈…〉 e the justs of the flesh Therefore according to this bestiality of faith and religion, a man in safety of soul may steal, murder, rebel, adulterate, if he have any endeavour to resist sin, and to restrain the flesh▪ although sin in all turpitude finally acted and brought to p●sse. To the same tenor also Beza: commodiously this exhortation i● 
●eza in ca 6. ●p ●d Rom.  placed after the former, that we may understand, how we be dead to sin as long as welyu● in th● 〈◊〉: To wit so far, that the spirit give some resistance, although it do not overcome. Than is it sufficient honesty and sanctity for a Protestant to resist a little at the beginning of a temptation, and after to yield consent and commit the sin whatsoever. Hear the Protestanter in his division giveth more to the devil than to Christ: It will 
The Protestants liberality to Christ.  suffice for Christ his part, says he, if a man give some repugnance to the devil, but the devil he must gain the victory, he must have the vpsh●tt the sin effected, he must enjoy that he sought for, that is the consent of sin▪ the preferment of pleasure before God, the brutish deportment of the life, the deadly stain of the soul; and behold all men as his adulterers, his fornicaters, his rebels, his manquellers, and what not in issue, only excepted from him and his claim same small resistance at the beginning. A proper fight of the Protestant against the world, the flesh, and the devil, when as soon as he buckleth himself to strive and make opposition, he may with his honour, with his sanctity after yield unto the empire of sin; I mean to the acts of adultery, of fornication, and such bestiality! Is there no more required for the life of the soul, and de●th to sin, than to resist at the beginning, and after to yield, when holy scriptures absolutely condemn and forb●d the actions of adultery, of fornication, of the●t and murder? What purity of manners can befounde in this Theology, when no sin hutteth tempting in pleasure, or is contrary to justification, effected in work! But the Catholic Hope is far more pure, dreading to consent to sin, as mortal to the soul, and a separation of it from the favour of Almighty God. The Protestant in this point cometh short of that intelligence of vice and virtue acknowledged by the Pagan: for he thinketh sin in general to displease God, and to make the soul contaminated therewith, odious unto him: And when men think to flatter themselves in a supposed security after their sins, or devise to conceal them from men's understandings, yet, sayeth he, God still beholdeth them as most detestable sp●ctacles, with a purpose once to take some revenge of them by his darts of justice.  

— Credamus tamen  
Astu doloque tegerenos tantum nefas. 
Sene. Here●l.   
Quid ille rebus lumen infundens ●●um  
Matris parens? quid ille qui mundum quatit  
Vibrans co●usca fulmen Aetnaeum manu  
Sater deorum?  
Let fancy frame a feigned ●eleefe  
That craft the crime may yet conceal,  
But where from God is found relief,  
Whose light our secrets doth reveal?  
Or how will he, that world doth shake,  
Hurling the bolt with arm so strong,  
The fact in judgement seeing take,  
The father and cheese of gods among?   
Nevertheless a Protestant shielded by faith maketh reckoning, as if almighty God did not see his offence, or would not impute the breach of his law or of nature unto him. O foul event under a colour of christian liberty and bounty from Christ author and ensampler of all purity! And as in aged times even in the Church's infancy, the Protestanters have a precedent of their filthy doctrine derived from the Puritans, called Gnostikes, and Priscillianists, so after even in S. Bernard's days rose up one Tancheline in Antwerp, who broached this libertine & lustful gospel protestantishe: And for that he pleased the people in looseness of faith, he came into that credit with them, that they held him for an holy man, drinking relligiouslie the very water wherein he washed his hands, his lotiones, as sovereign against diseases, and to be respected as sacred relics. And yet this fowl wretch divulged an opinion, that adultery and fornication in true believers were divine works, in so much as the inhabitans took it 
Hugo in vita S. Noberti cap. 34 Sur. Tom 3 die 6. Iun●● Baron. an. 1026.  for a great grace, if in their own views that varlet abused their wives, or deflowered their daughters O fond and credulous popularity! To the tune of this vicious & luxurious sonnet define and dance Luther and Caluine, teaching to be a divine work the act of procreation, and of rocking the cradle in vowed persons; and that no sin is imputed to a believer. For if no● imputed, why can not the same faith procure, that as sin is not imputed, so that sin b● no sin, but rather be a divine work, and please almighty God? And did not the deceived Germane at worms desire to kiss for religion sake the not nominable & abominable parts of Luther? In the time of S. Bernard were found certain heretics called Apostol●kes, agreeing with the Protestant in man●e points▪ as in denial of the real presence, of purgatory, intercession to S & for prayers for ch●ist●●n souls, who as writeth S. Bernard were Manichean heretics in their filthy assemblies, and vulgar use of venery, & that allowable by their doctrine, as he reporte●h.  
12. It is therefore most manifest, that the Protestanter maintaineth at this day the self same loathsome heresy, which arose in the Apostles time, and was refuted generall●e by the church. And this may be euidentl●e proved out of the words of S Augustin: 
Aug. l de fide & oper c. 14.  Who reporteth that some misconstruing the words of S Paul, did think that to obtain salvation onl●● faith to be sufficient: and thereupon did neglect to live w●ll, and to hold the way of God. Which heresy, consi●●ing of ●owe paytes: that is that the sole 
Protestants think of a justifying faith, as the old heretics did.  act of faith justifieth: and by virtue thereof one may neglect good life without loss of justice, is completelie and wholly avouched by the Protestant As concerning the former part, the Protestant professeth and protesteth that he holdeth it. That also the second is admitted by him, thus I prove. He may neglect good life, and fear no sin, who once justified by faith sinneth necessarily and often times against God, and the law of nature without detrimen: But the Protestant is of opinion that no sin against God or nature anoyeth his believing owl, therefore by facultitie of his faith may he neglect good life. The ma●or proposition is manifest: for why is not good life to be neglected, when bad life doth not endamadge? The minor is implied in the doctrine of the Protestant, teaching that adultery and murder did not hurt David, nor S Peter his denial of Christ: ergo he maintaineth the self same heresy, which was broached by filthy infamous heretics in the times of the Apostles, & condemned by the Church. Which abominably among others is roundly affirmed by the Archeministir, avouching on departing this life, justified by only faith, 
Abbot pag. 308.  having no occasion to worck charitably, or repen●a●the, to argue to heavenly felicity. Against which bestiality thus I argue. Whosoever affirmeth faith to justify and to make passage into heaven without the works of charity and repentance, avoucheth that to such an effect is sufficient a dead faith, and such a one as is the 
jacob 3. Aug. Tract 6 in Ihohan c. 1. D●●●● & 〈◊〉 4 & 5. 〈◊〉. c. 66. 83. que●t q. 73.  devils: but the ministir so affirmeth, therefore also he defineth that a dead faith & such a one as is found in devils to be a sufficient purchase of heavenly bliss and beatitude The mayor proposition is averred by S. jeames, and S. Augustin The minor imp●eth his one words, affording justice & heaven to a bore believer dying without the works of charity, & repentance: whereupon the conclusion is a flower garlic groving in his one gardaine. furthermore I demand whether or norths believing creature departing this life before doing any good work, might in the mean space have committed murder or adultery, before that any occasion w●s presented unto him to work charitably or repentantlie? If he say he could not, then must he grannte, that a good Protestant can no● sin as David and S. Peter did. But if he admit the case, then let it be supposed moreover, that surhe a murderer or thief be strucken with death, having no occasion to worck well: & to be asked whether such a murderer 
Quousqueer go falluntur, qui de fide mortua sibi vitam perpetuam pollicentur? Augu. de 8. Question. Dulcit. q. 1.  and thief with his dead faith is to repair? If he save to hell: I shall inquire, how was he then justified by faith? If to heaven, how then a muderer an adulterer, & a knave? Surely if the matter go thus in the ministers book, then honest men are to take heed● of his commission: when as by virtue of his mission believing knaves without works mount up to heaven And this may serve for a flat demonstration. that the archeminister is a baalitical, gnostical, puritanical Carpocratian brutish heretic.  
13. Now then i● h●ped charity be a rule to decide the controversy, charity I mean that keepeth ●he law, that hates sin, surly the Catholic doctrine is to be preferred, when as it avoideth sin, as the bane of the soul; and contrariwise the Protestantish o●●on making no sin damnable to a belee●er, inclineth men to sin, persuadeth th●m to sin, and finally exileth charity, and violateth the link and lock of the soul with almighty God.  
14 There ●● no doubt, but as Antichrist in the Protestant hereby baneth the purtitie 
The Protestantish opinion of sin not imputed is barbarous.  and life of Christian profession, so also doth he disfornish by rude and filthy barbarism civility of all strength and ornament. For what subject will much be restrained, for lucre or purchase sake, to violate his prisucies' law, when want of impulsion will assoil his sin, and make that almighty God in ●re and wrath do not behold his open treacher●e? The feminine Sex, prove and frail in regard ●f concupiscence, by defect of imputation hath freedom to dishonour their husband's, and ●ight good plea to stand against their anger, as quit from a 'bove, & not subject to divine wrath and indignation. Who may trust his unthrifty servants fingers, were faith in the lord shall shield his soul from givilte of robbery, and secure his worst fact from spiritual annoy? Th●s, this is the Protestantish close conveyance of a justifying faith: carrying sin, as no sin, upon all occasions into every corner, to break trust and confidence betwixt man and man, were each party hath a ghostly indemnity from hurt by any wickedness! O Barba●onse faith, contrary to man his nature, the very plague and poison of all civil conversation! How dareth the Protestant shut up his watchful eye, & leave out of sight his neighbour, his servant, or wife, when they may dispose in his affairs? thinketh he not, that it will be soon believed of them, no thing to be imputed unto them, when they shall carve up his substance, and deal out the cards of his pack? And what will not such a belief perform, and couple works to faith! And if they be by him apprehended in act of crime, as of stealithe, or adultery, if they lay but once hold of the justice of Christ, he may bid them good night, they be safe▪ and out of his r●ache. This brutish heresy crosseth herein the very sense of nature, best●ed upon us for our great good and avail. For such is the malignant nature of sin, that by penalty it doth no less afflict the guilty conscience, than the ho● iron sea●ing the live flesh anoyeth the same. 
Juvenal satire 13.   

Exemplo quod●unque malo committitur, ipsi  
Displ●cet au●●or● Prima est hac ultio, quum se  
judice nemo nocens absoluitur, imp●eba quamuis  
Gratia fallacis Pr●toris vic●●●● urnam  
Wh●se bad example ●●●mes doth cause,  
By bad attempt as auci●●●s dis●l●●ed,  
This first 〈◊〉 dear by nature's laws,  
Offendantes feel▪ and judge themselves diseased.  
Not guilty man absolved is,  
Not when the judge gives doom amiss.   
Which profitable resenten●ent of sin is barbarous●ie abolished by the Protestant, deeming no sin hurtful to his believing soul. And in vain doth the Protestant deduce his indemnity from sin, in that he esteemeth that man can not possibly be without sin, and so is excused by necessity from harm through● sin: for S. Augustin expressly reacheth the contrary, saying: If it be demanded whether a man or no 
Aug lib. 2 de peccator merit. c 6.  may be without sin in this life, ●●ons●sse that he may by the grace of God and his one free will. By these and other innumerable testimonties, I can doubt, that God hath commanded unto man ante thing impossible, neither any thing to beimpossible unto god aiding and helping, whereby that may be performed, which is commande●: and hereupon a man, if he will, hellped by almighty God, may be without sin. But excellently well in these words he reproveth 
Aug. l de Gra. & l. atb. ca 7.  the Protestant: Certain persons not understanding the Apostle saying: we think a man to be justified by faith without works of the law, have deemed him to say, ●aith to be sufficient for a man, although believe evil, and have no good works.   

Catholic Hope informed by faith distinguisheth in purity accerding to truth, betwixt a venial and a mortal sin: to which is opposite the doctrine of the Protestanter, making all offences equally mortal and damnable.  
CHAPTER. XXIX. 
Charity ●ieth Sin●●●n a difference.   
HOPE procureth hatred against sin in general, as a thing either contrary unto it, or in some other sort injurious and of hindrance. But for that there are some offences so in quality and malice small and minute, & to which nature in us is in such sort prove, that morally it is impossible to avoid them all, hope working by charity doth not eschew or shun all sins indifferently, or make the same reckoning 
Eccles 7. Prou. 24. Aug. l. 3. cont. 2. epist Pelag. ca 3 De Na●ura & Gra●e 38 Amb. lib. 2 de poen. cap. ●0. S Aug. in Enc. c. 64. putteth a difference betwixt crimen & pecca tum. taking crimen for a deadly sin not to be found in the just, & pe●●a tum for a venial sin found in all c 71. ●. Cor 6. Deut. 27. Matth. 5.  of every particular trespass. Whereupon the Catholic doctrine, teacheth some crimes to be venial, that is, not of iniquity or validity to violate amity and friendship of charity and justice betwixt God and man, but that they may be found in persons most just and in the very children of God. There is not the justest man, that doth so do good, that he sinneth not. The just man falleth seven times a day. Also S john, If we say that we heave no sin, we seduce ourselves. Accordingly S. Augustine: although the devil be author and prince of all sins, not withstanding every sin do●th not make men the children of the devil. We be not all impious, as speaketh S. Ambrose yet all sinners: where he maketh mention of daily penance delictorum ●euiorum, of lighter sins. The which truth is also conformable to human reason, whereby we perceive, that every small transgression doth not violate friendship betwixt man and man, or allegiance betwixt the Prince and his subject, the levity thereof considered as derived from the quality of the matter and object of the fact. On the contrary side holy Scriptures do likewise inform us, that other offences are repugnant to charity with God and man, to the end of the Christian law: so that they deprive the party offendant of divine grace & justice. Know you not, saith the Apostle, that the unrighteous shall not possess the kingdom of heaven? Accursed be he, that remaineth not in obedience to the words of the law, nor doth in work perform it. Foyes conclude, Our blessed Saviour his words are, He that breaketh one of the least of these law●s, and accordingly teacheth, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. Than are some crimes venial of their natures, as composible with justice as teacheth S. Augustin, others mortal, and not 
Aug l. de Nat. & Grat. ca 38.  consistable with the same grace of justification. Who discoursing about the lives of certain 〈◊〉 persons reckoned up by Pelagius, thus writeth: But because that offentimes in small matters, and some times sin creepeth upon less heed ●ull persons, they were just, and yet not without sin In which doctrine S. Augustin marketh out the original causes of venial sin▪ to wit● lightness of the object, and want of full and deliberate attention. Also speaking of the continual battle we maintain against the motions of concupiscence, By which sayeth he either deadly, or veniallie, we are over come: hereby contracting 
Aug. l. 2 cont. julian ca 10. in Enchir. ca 64 De bone viduit cap. 4. speaking of venial concompiscenscence in marriage Aug l de perfect justitiae ●a. 9 Epist. 89. Tra. 2 in Ioh, e 3 tra. 26. c 6. Not venial sin ne according to the Protestant. Cal l. 2 In c. 8 Sect. 28 ●8 59 L 3 cap. 4. Sect 28 The purity of cha●●t e against the Protestant.  tracting just cause to pray daily, Forgive us our trespasses. Also he affirmeth a just man observing the law in some sort to be immaculate: who wanting damnable crimes, is not negligent by alms deeds to purge venial sins. Moreover expressly he maketh a distinction betwixt grandia & l●tali a peccata, ac peccata minuta, great and deadly sin●es, and small sins, affirming these to be in the just, who are delivered from the other.  
The Protestanter frameth to himself a Hope, the which in passage accounteth all sins equal 〈◊〉 mortal, that is equally contrary to sanctity, semblably odious to God and in like measure worthy of eternal damnation; in sum indifferenthe of one strain in respect of ham: in that generally not imputed to the just and true believers. There is no reason, saith, Caluine, w●y we should exempt the least desires of lust from the judgement of death. And of sins forgiven, or not hurtful to the grace of justice, he pronounceth them to be venial: Not that they deserve not death, but because through the mercy of God there is no damnation to those, that are in Christ jesus, because they are not imputed because they are taken away by pardon. Come we to the comparison by the virtue Hope.  
2. The Catholic Hope serveth herself notably for purity by two documents, to wit, that man may by the grace of Christ avoid any sin and the turpitude thereof, and hereby encourageth a●● men to work with this grace, to consent unto it for virtue and honesty: Moreover it teacheth, that sin is to be repulsed, for that it is worthy damnation, for that it con●rideth the death of the soul, and can not abide with charity, due unto almighty God. And hereupon ariseth a grea●e hatred and dete●●ation of sin, and so consequently charity thereby is preserved in the greater purity and integrity. To which defences against sin and vice, as the sure guards of Christian Hope, opposeth himself the Protestanter; first making i● impossible to avoid mortal sin, then fashioning such a sh●pe of deadly sin, as if a continual companion of Hope and charity, and by their presences made venial, pardonable, although never so grievous and offensive to God or man. According to the former respect the Catholic conceiveth of Christ his grace, as more beneficial to mankind, than doth the Protestanter, in that he acknowledgeth the grace of Christ given to the just of competent force to preserve them from such evil facts, as be deadly breaches of God his commandments, as are hateful to his diu●e Majesty, and an actual enmity against this his supreme and overflowing goodness. Whereas the Protestanter reckoning all si●●es equally damnable, disg●aceth the me●●ts of Christ as not of ability or bounty to protect the just from them, but that notwithstanding such grace, they daily offend deadly, and contaminate their souls with the fowl brands of such uglle deformities. Moreover that the Protestanter hereby doth patronize wickedness, & licence the righteous to all impurity with freedom, I prove by this argument. If all offences be damnable and deadly, and none venial in the Catholic sense, then may the just as well and 〈◊〉 as great● a ●afe●● seven times a day commit murder or theft, as they do trespass in kind of sin mentioned by the Scripture; but such an opinion is flat Epicurism barbarous and brutish, therefore all sins are not indifferently deadly and mortal. The sequel of the Mayor proposition is manifest: for what can hurt more than deadly sin? or what demeanour more potent is to exclude justice, and endamage a man, than a mortal sin? but if every venial sin committed by the just be in deed mortal and damnable, than it is not the property of mortal sin to deserve damnation, exclude justice, and place the offender in the estate of perdition, but only the quality of him that sinneth; as if he transgress with faith in the promises of God, or without such a faith: so that mortal sin is not damnable to a believer, in that a believer never so just at the lest sin ● seven times a day mortally without any loss of his justice. Bu● murder and theft are only in that quality mortal, as be the daily offences of the just, therefore as a faithful person firmly believeth that these his daily and quotidian sins in act are not imputed, and that they expel not justice of Christ imputed to his soul, so also believeth he, that neither murder or theft, designed by him, or hereafter entering his consent, can annoy or hurt his justice, but rather not to be imputed, whilst they be in act and performance: which is an abominable liberty not of the gospel, but of the flesh and filthy carnality, reproved by the innocent life of Christ, by the commandments of God and nature, finally by the testimonies of holy writ, denouncing damnation to grievous offenders. And who perceiveth not, that hereby christian charity is much impaired 
1. Cor. 6.  and debased, whereas a Protestant knoweth by his faith, that this his saving belief and charity may consist with any mortal sin of wickedness, as well as with an idle word, with a negligent government of the sensual part, with the stealth of a pin or a point? Where is that charity then, which observeth the law, which is found in that soul, the which notoriously and deadly violateth the same law? Where is the purity of this charity in the avoidance of sin, when as it may remain in a sufficiency to salvation in the very breach of all the ten commandments, in the concupiscence of adultery, of murder and, heft, and devil with any sin whatsoever, only infidelity excepted, as with a venial trespass, turning all sins into venialities, and into good fellowships of a Puritanical and beastly persuasion?  
3. Neither doth it avail the loo●e liberty of a Protestant the nature of a venial 
How a venial sin is against the la.  sin, being a true and proper transgression of the law, as if to it in this respect were due the stipend of death and damnation, as generally to sins the Apostle denounceth, for indeed every venial sin is a proper and formal breach of the law of reason and nature, in that reason telleth us, that this or that venial sin is not to be committed: nevertheless the venialitie of it ariseth from the small weight and moment of the object, being a transgression against natural reason▪ yet in a small matter, & so morally it is not mortal, or so odious to God, as is murder and theft: as to steal from our friend one penny, is not to be esteemed by him reason a bly as hate full, and as contrary to friendship, as the robbery or cozenage of an hundred pounds, although both in the one and in the other be found a fact against reason and judgement of justice. Therefore when the Apostle and holy scriptures avouch generally, sin to be Damnable, and deadly, they understand certain offences notoriously against charity and friend ship with almighty God: unless the Protestant will condemn all just persons stained with some offences, or pardoning them by an adjoined faith, give a privilege and indemnity to mankind believing, to commit any outrage of sin and iniquity. In deed this they conceit, and live accordingly: only shame hindereth them from confession and utterance of so foul a bestiality masked in the apparent sergeant viso of a reformed Christianity.   

Hope Catholic remarcheth heavenly bliss, as a reward, & purchase through good, and meritorious actions in persons justified: of which merit seeing the Protestanter maketh no account, in that behalf his hope is plain arrogancy and presumption.  
CHAPTER. XXX.  
THE hope Catholic, sithence that it expecteth heavenly beatitude by means 
What is requisite to me ●●t.  of merits, and as s●●pende of good deserts, therefore it is behoufull, whee declare in particular what is understood by an action of man meritorious, & what conditions are requisite thereunto. First then a meritorious work is the endeavour and operation of some virtue, as Intellectual, Moral, or Theological, freely and voluntarily by God his grace performed by man in this life to wards a good and laudable object, with all circumstances of per●on, time, and place complet●ie furnished & invested. Than to this m●r●tt is exacted likewise▪ precedent estate of justification, 
Council Trid. ●ess. 6. cap. 6.  remission of sin, and childshipp with God: Whereupon ●h● Council of Trent defineth, n●●ther the 〈◊〉 of saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that of hope, or of charity, or of repentance, or of good purpose, the wh●●h do d●●pose man, and prepare the way to the 〈◊〉 of grace of justification, to merit or deserve this grace: in that perfect me●●tt either o● the increase o● grace, o● o● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, presupposeth the person so 〈◊〉 to be first● the 〈◊〉 o● God, and 〈◊〉 with him by that 〈◊〉 of amity cau●ed in 〈◊〉. Moreover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in persons just and sanctified do flow from the actual gr●ce, 〈◊〉 them by Christ: he as the vine con●●nuall●e impa●ti●ge 
joan. 6. ca ●6. Cum Deus 〈◊〉 me●i ●● 1. 〈…〉 hill aliud co●onat quam 〈◊〉 va. Aug ●●●. 106. Con Au. c. 11.  that sacred 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉. the which d●th go● before all their goo● wor●●e●▪ 〈◊〉 them, and 〈◊〉 them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●he which they 〈◊〉 in no 〈◊〉 be grateful or 〈◊〉 unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God. 〈◊〉 in the just and 〈◊〉 us 〈◊〉 that there are two graces, the one permanent and habitual, to w●tt that of justification, as quality inherent in the soul: the other actual a●d operative, as vocation from God. & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hol●e ghost, we design in the●e graces the ver●e fountains as it were from wh●nc● springeth all value of merit & excellency to the good works of the just, wh● 〈◊〉 th●t they be the works of s●ncti●ied persons, of the friends of God, and such en 〈◊〉, as are excited and procured by motion from the holy ghost, & merit●es of our saviour Christ. Finally to a work me●●●otious appertaineth 
Heb 10. 2 Cor. 2. Tim. 4.  the free promise o● God through Christ, pledging his fidelity by grace, that he will justly and truly reward the good actions of the just, and their diligent keeping of his commandments. For by a meritorious work we understand such a one, as hath efficacy and virtue to attain reward in heaven, as of justice & bound 
1. Cor. 2. 〈◊〉 merito pe●at● tanquam s●ipen●ium redditut mors, ita merito justitiae tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Augu ●p. 105.  of debt in allmight●e G●d not only a merciful, but also a just and a faithful paymaster, as the scriptures teach: The which the just judge shall give unto me: and therefore that promise se●t aside made to mankind only by the desert of Christ, no works of man can attain to glory, or challenge it at God his hands as due from his justice, nothing being of ability to oblige him but his own promise and decree, and so without it no wo●●ke absolutely is to be said meritorious. An example: if one laboured in the field of an other not 〈◊〉, o● not interceding any covenant, such labour should not be well deserving, or in justice competent to exact stipend or reward. Nevertheless the value and worth in the work doth not arise only by outward 
The value of a good work. Pro bono●● oper● metitis. justo judicio, 〈◊〉 ipsa mis●ri●ord●● tribuetur August de corrept & Grat. ●ap. 13. Trust in merits is trust in grace and mercy of God 1. Gen.  promise, but it supposeth also a proportion of dignity in the same: as being a work good & virtuous, conformable to reason, a work effected by one, that is the child of God, justified, and lastly, excited and stirred up by the inspiration of the holy ghost: then all these things concurring, the works of virtue in the just are meritorious in Christ: that is by his grace inspired, and promise' of almighty God: so that we hoping for salvation by our merits, therein we especially confided and trust in the mercies of God through our saviour Christ: that is in his grace, cause of all good actions that be meritorious in us: not otherwise then doth the countryman expect the increase of harvest without presumption respectivelie to his own toil, reposing also confidence in the seasonable influence of the heavens, & benign clemency of nature. And as it stood for the commendation of the fountain in the midst of paradise, that by the strames thereof the whole circuit of that soil was enriched with plants and herbs 〈◊〉 painted with flowers, so doth it advance the work of Christ his cross and his merit, that we in his 〈◊〉 express works of virtue and 〈◊〉 the efficacy of his derived grace.  
2 Vthereupon I cannot sufficient●●e admire the gross and 〈◊〉 ignorance of the 
The opinion of 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 m●me. Non est e●im  Protestan●er empea●hing out doctrine of merit, as stained with the heresy of Pelagius, against testimony of antiquity, repugnant to evidency of discourse from wit and reason. 〈◊〉 and his accomplices strayed from the Catholic truth precisely in three points: first for that he 〈◊〉, that man by force of nature without farther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 believe, hope, and 〈◊〉 the commandements, and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: then of grace had access, he 〈◊〉 unto it the office o●lie to 〈◊〉 the●e good works: lastly he held opinion that such grace was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by actions of man his pure natural ability and employmentes. All which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sacred Council of 〈◊〉 dis●rie, anathematize, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: believing that grace is of necessity to n●●ritorious works, and not only of 〈◊〉: likewise that such gr●ce 〈◊〉 the effect of God his sole mercy through Christ, and no● of man his action and conversation; graciously from God his free dispense of goodness we receiving the grace of fatih, the grace of hope, the grace of fear, the grace of repentance, the grace of charity, the grace of good purpose, and so finally the grace of justice and remission of sins. Whereupon the second Council of Au●osicum senten●inge to damnation Pelagianisme, thus defineth: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works, if they be performed: but grace, which is not of debts, goeth 
〈◊〉. Au●. 2  before, that they may be performed: Where Pelagius is disallowed not absolutely for assertion of merit, but for his error of the necessity of grace, and cause thereof: whereupon concordantlie the Council of Trent: So great is the goodness of almighty God, 
〈◊〉. Trid. 〈◊〉 cap 16 Aug. 〈◊〉 ●●●. fundam ●●●eron ●● ad 〈◊〉.  that he will'th, that 〈◊〉 actions 〈◊〉, which are his own gifts. furthermore who doubteth, but that heresy of Pelagius misprised the merit of Christ, extenuated and educuated the same, as teach S. Augustine and S. Hierome? Whereas the Catholic este●me of merit rather commendeth and advanceth it: we taking merit in ourselves for the effect of Christ his merit and grace: unless according to the deep Theology of a Protestanter, the nobility & excellency of the effect disgraceth the cause thereof. When establish merit, but merited and caused by Christ: we expect glory for merit, as grace for grace, increase for seed, guerdon for labour, repose for warfare, yet by the merits of Christ as origen of the same: we trust to be saved in heaven by merits in us servants to God, yet resolving this confidence in the mercies of God, into the grace of Christ, the true agent in all our merits: we acknowledge merit in man, yet entertain humility, not reckoning of man as man, but as instrument and tabernacle of the holy ghost: God forbidden sayeth our sacred Council 
Conc. Trid. sess. 6. cap. 16.  of Trent that an●e Christian man should trust in himself, or glory, and not in our Lord: in that his gifts are our merits. Where we may take notice of the palpable ignorance in the Protestanter, accounting, that with the opinion of merit cannot subsist confidence in the mercies of God: seeing that our merits are the impressions, the motions of God his merciful grace: unless a Protestanter to the ears of an ass will join the corpse and head of an hog; and so merely trust in God his mercy, in that he hopeth for bliss thereby in heaven independantlie on all virtue, on the observation of the commandments, placing nothing betwixt God his mercies and his sins but a repose in mercy, and a reachles disposirion of his own life and manners: for if a Protestant expect salvation, this condicional annexed, if he keep the commandments, if he repent, if he suffer with Christ in mortification, then by his own counters he must not repose only in God his mercies, but upon the condition of his own action, which he deemeth presumption in extremity: & therefore to avoid presumption he must discard all honesty. O lamentable blindness that bringeth a man to the dunghill of so loathsome a resolution!  
3. And if we revew the sacred testimonies of holy writ, we shall see that from 
merit avouched inscriptures. Matt 5.  heaven itself is establisted the Catholic opinion of merit in the works of ververtues. Your reward saveth our Saviour Christ is abundant in heaven. If reward in heaven, than desert on earth: in that they be relatives, and cannot be understood without a mutual respect. If a reward, than not a free gift of sole benevolence, but an office of justice and judgement: unless the wise Protestanter will call the alms imparted to a poor man▪ a reward of his poverty: Wherhfore unless impropriety of speech be attributed to God, as the blasphemous spirit Protestantish perhaps will have no scruple to grant, if in heaven be a reward, here below is a merit & well deserving service. Call the workmen, and give them their wages. Neither is eternal bliss 
Matth 20. Matth 5.  bestowed on men absolutely as their perfection, but in reckoning of works, and for works, as cause: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for 〈◊〉, because the●●● is the kingdom of heaven: Wherhfore persecution being a cause of ●oy in the kingdom of God, it must needs be the moral and meritorious cause thereof: otherwise by an absurd manner of words shall seem inserted that particle because. And to signify this causality and meritorious efficacy in good works the Apostle S. Paul expected this reward: They which ou● lord shall give unto me the just ●udge: Vhere for our reward 
1. Tim. 2.  God is called a just judge in his repay and remercement, for that the works of grace in us might meritoriously challenge as much. And our saviour Christ himself designeth the good works of the faithful as causes of glory, and so deserts: Come you 
Matt. ●6.  blessed of my father, 〈◊〉 the prepared kingdom for you from the beginning of the world: for I have been hungered and you have given me to eat. Also universally holy David maketh a 
Psal. 65. How justice and mercy concur in God rewarding our merits. Gratia cum data fucrit in cipiun● esse e●●am me●i●a nostra bo●s. 〈◊〉 tam● Aug. l. de Gra. & ● arb. ca 6.  reference in the providence of almighty God to man's merits and demerittes, as if rewards and punishment from God took occasion from their demeanours: Thou shalt tender to every one according to his works.  
4. Neither is th●r● any just cause of the Protestantish esteem in this affair, as if the opinion of merit either impaired the b●neuolence of almighty God, or diminished the value of our redemption by Christ: seeing that all our merirtes are the peculiar effects of God his goodness, and Christ his satisfaction: neither the judgement of God, according to justice of 〈◊〉 rendering stipend of bliss, being occasioned originall●● by his own grace and promise, doth any whit impeach his benevolence. Truth it is, that our merits of virtues do not found an absolute and perfect nature of justice and debt betwixt us mortal men and almighty God, if we consider justice, as we take it in human affairs; yet it doth 'cause a merit of condignity, and 
Vasquez. 1. pa disp 85 & 85. Suarez. opust relect. de metitis.  of equivalent recompensation, proportionably answering the employment. Taking justice a● an office ●orall and human in the conversation of men deu●ded into justice Commutative and distribut●ue, on the party of him that giveth, we regard a thing as his own, not subject to him, unto wh●me it is imparted before the gift and surrendry thereof: then in respect of him that thaketh the thing yielded up, it is unto him beneficial and commodious, as it appeareth in all bargains of selling and buyi●ge, and other services for reward: bo●h which, co● 〈◊〉 fail betwixt God man▪ in that the merits of our works by m●nie ●tles are due vn●o God, and that ●●dependan●lie of our consents; neither is God enriched or abettered by any d●ety ●nd functions of mortals men●; yet 〈…〉 in this defect of iu●●●ce t●ken in vigour, as we fi●de i● here in this l●fe betwixt man an● man, may consist perfect worth of merit and dese●●e, and a certain iusti●e termed in the school 〈◊〉, and of a semblab●● 
justice in the 〈◊〉 of Christ.  analogue and proportion. An ex●●p●e 〈◊〉 the merities of ou●●auiour Ch 〈…〉, the which he offered as the most sw 〈…〉 and prop●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ou● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his eternal father, in the which noth●nghe wa● offered, ●hat o'th' 〈…〉 d●d not app〈…〉 unto th●t ete●n●ll father, neither w●● the●e a●●● p●●ce ther●, the wh●ch increased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto him, 〈◊〉 perfect, exact, and most rigorous 〈◊〉 the value a●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉ed, the 〈◊〉 
Ci●ill ●om 4 ●●. T●es. ca 3.  proceeded from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worck●●g and d●se 〈◊〉. In 〈◊〉 so●●e although the virtues of mortals men ●n 〈◊〉 of human a●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot 〈…〉 act reward a●t God h●s hands, ●o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mu●h as the● be de 〈…〉 d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his grace, f●om the mo●●●n of the ●o●●e ghost 〈…〉 s, and 〈◊〉 endeavours of h●● 〈◊〉 an● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regenerate, they are 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 merit 〈…〉ous. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 in the opinion of merit S. Augustine defend●th 〈…〉 am Pel 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 th● 〈◊〉 of Christ▪ or the mercy of God▪ S. Augu 〈…〉 〈…〉 y, that so 〈◊〉 ●nd 〈◊〉 battered with h●s writings the errors o● 〈◊〉. This great Docto 〈…〉 pu●●nge of the double estate of S. Paul, as by g●a●e fi●st c 〈…〉 d, then through grace working well, deserving, and expecting reward ●●om God ●s iu●t judge; con●idereth one thing effect of God h●s mee●e mercy, and an other 
Aug● in Isa. 100 2. ●i● 4. Quim 〈◊〉 illis qu●●●be●at non re●d●● 〈◊〉 oper● 〈◊〉 tunc redde● vn●●uiqu● se cund● opera ●●us Aug lib. de Grat. & ●● a●● cap 24. Psal. 100  thing as meritin●e of his justice: The Apostle sayeth he [hath f●und him a giue● in time of mercy, and holdeth h●m as a debtor in time of judgement. And how this is to be understood consider you. He sayeth: for I am even now to be 〈◊〉 ficed, and the time of my resolution is ●eate. I have ●ought a go●d fight, I have consummated my course, I have kept the faith This appertaineth to the time of mercy. ●or the rest, there remaineth for me a crown of ●ustie, that our l●rd shall re●de● unto me the just judge in that day. He sayeth not, he shall give, but he shall tender: when he gave, he was merciful, when he shall tender, he shall be a judge: because I will sing to thee oh lord mercy and judgement. B●t forgiving sins he made himself debtor of a crown; then did I attain to me●c●e. First therefore is our l●●d merciful: but here he shall tender me the crown of justice. Why shall ●e tender it? Because he is a just judge. And why a ●ust judge? Because that I have s●ught a good sight, consummated my course, kept my ●aith And because he is ●ust, therefore he cannot but crown these things, for he hath found these to Crown. Before what did he find I that first was a blasphemer, & a persecutor. These things he hath 
1. Tim ●.  given, and the others he h●●h crowned. He gave these th●nges in the time of mercy, & he hath 〈…〉 wned ●he othoes in time of ●udgement. Because oh lo●de will 〈…〉inge to thee of mercy & ●udgement] Whe●e S August●●●, first aga 〈…〉 Pelag●us, as concerning 
〈◊〉.  our 〈◊〉, defineth the ●●me of mercy & justification as proceeding from the free gift of God his grace, without desert of such ●race by man his natural ability: Th● 
Aug l. deGra. & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 24 R●dder bo na p●o●onis quomā●●nus & rustus ●st. Aug. l 〈◊〉. ●. & 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 post bona m●t●ta conse▪ 〈◊〉 . 22 etc. 12. ●. Co●. ●5.  against jovinian, and our Protestants▪ he mentioneth the time of justice ●● God, when as reward shall not be a mee●e free gift, but a repay, a surrendry of a thing purchased by grace; in that such grac● doth enable and enrich th● good endeavours of the heavenly crown and gue●don: so then S. Augustin remarck●th in good works a value, a price, a dignity in respect of such a reward, as by justice, of desert worthy the same: and that n●● just and condign remer●ement cannot only a●●se from t●e sole promise of God without some proportionable condignity and wa●ght in the work, as a●ter shall be clea●●●e dem●●●tra●●● To the same tenor of he Catholic doctrine S Gregory the great, and ou● 〈◊〉 Apostle, doth entreat: The 〈…〉 lie 〈◊〉 f●●st doth work in ●●●omethin● . Where th●s Do 〈…〉 ●● 〈◊〉 i● the former pla●e 〈◊〉 on th●ng eff●cte● by 〈◊〉 ●n ▪ then placet●●e the cons 〈…〉 our free w●ll 〈◊〉 with that grace in good works: : ▪ 
Greg 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Hom. ● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 ●p 80 〈◊〉. ●. ●● 〈◊〉. C 〈…〉. Cat 4.  . Again sa●eth the● same d 〈…〉: . Al●o S. Leo: By which testimonies appea●e how free gift of grace, with 〈◊〉 o● action, and in God merciful 
D. Th●● a ●. ● 〈◊〉. at. ●. Merit●es do follow the providence of God Au●ust ●p ad ●●●entin. To● 7. M●tth 25. Non quia 〈◊〉 ●st me 〈…〉. vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D●us 〈◊〉 Aug. 〈◊〉 advalen. T 〈…〉 〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉 the P●o●●●●ant.  bestowing with just rewarding, concur●e and meet, without any ●mpeachement of the one or there other.  
5. Which truth likewise is consequently deduced f●●m the very nature of the providence in allmi●htie God, as S. Thomas with the school clea●● oh proueth● for as ●●ppertaineth to almighty God to abilitate and accomplish ●he nature of man with faculties and helps of grace to achieve his end, so also concerns it his finale are, as judge, to take accounted in reckoning of justice of his behaviour; and so to reward in him either good deserts of virtues, or punish bad carriage and d●meanu●t of life And if m●n by this providence for evil works shall be sertenced 〈◊〉 h●ll▪ why not for good enhanced to heaven? So that the gr●sse and absurd heresy of he Protest●nter denying merits o● works, giveth the repulse to the ve●●e providence of almighty God, and course; that it s●o take, either absolutely euacua●in▪ such pou●●ence, o● by imputation of absurd t●e and iniquity 〈◊〉 and▪ lafoy ●heming the same Let us now lay down the esteem and asse●tion of the Protestan●●● in this peinct of merit.  
6. The Protestant Calui●iste● is so far from admittance of an●e value of merit in the vett●es of the just, that he ●●●her accounteth of them no better▪ then o● deadly and mortal sins, even odious unto almighty God, and wo●th●e in deed of eternal damnation ●in that they proceed, as he deviseth, from faculties of nature vitiated & corrupted by original sin: in that they are accompanied with original sin it self, 
Witak. l 1. de pec orig. ●. 7. l. 1 c. 3. Luther ●. ●. 31 32. ●en. lib ●. Hiero count. 〈◊〉.  the which he deemeth to be a continual breach and violation of all the then commandments, in the holiest, and so utterly void of any price and just desert. The just man sayeth Luther in every good work, yea done after the b●st manner, doth sin. Neither do evil works make an evil man. Which foul heresy in ancient times was broached by the Gnostickes and Puritans: then after recalled by jovinian & his complices. Whereupon S. Amb●ose whriting to those of Vercellis, thus speaketh I hear to have come unto you Sarmation and Barbation vain talkatruefellowes, that say there 
Amb● ep. 133. The Protestātis● 〈◊〉.  is no merit of abstinence. Yet for that the holy scriptures avouch certain works of gr●ce to d●serue as merits, and that once in heaven they shall be rewarded, the Protestanter agniseth as much, but in this bore sense, in tha● God by verve of his promise hath made them meritorious; and for the sake of his sons justice impured unto the faithful, will admit them as rewardable and gracious, otherwise displeasing unto him as of no value or worthy reputation. And heareupon he taketh occasion in his railing Theology to disgrace our cause, as injurious to the merits of Christ: in that we trust to be saved by them, to such effect not esteeming sufficient the merits of Christ: he accuseth us also as presumptuous in pressing so high, as to a divine reward for repay of our works so imperfect, so deficient, and sinful: and here he begins to weep again, his brains distilling through heat of his zeal, when others pity, and laugh at the sillic idiotism of his great foolery. The holy scriptures, sayeth he, ascribe the gift of heavenly bliss entirely to the mercy of God, and to grace through Christ jesus. How then of desert and justice may the Roman challenge the same, as if by action he had merited as much? He that crowneth thee sayeth the Prophett 
Psal. 102.  David in mercy and in merciful compassion: And our saviour Chrisi himself. When you have done all these things, say that ye are unprofitable servants; we have done that we 
Luc 17. Rom. 8.  aught to have done. Accordingly the Apostle: the grace of God is etrnall life. The sufferances of this time are not fully worthy etc. Now procred we to trial.  
7. That hope cannot consist wi●h due correspondence to a divine rule, the which 
The hope Protestanti●● pres●ptious.  mispriseth and extenuateth in man the grace of Christ and his merits: rather such hope is true and Theological, the which stands effectually for commendation of them both. But of the former malignant quality is the hope Protestantish, and of the other is the virtuous hope Cathollke, therefore this is the hope sincere, and commanded by God, and not the other. Can in any sort the hope Protestantish show itself for the greatninge of Christ his grace and merit, the which a●ileth them both in their proper effects and operations, in that according unto the same it produceth in man no goodness of virtue, or moment of desert, every endeavour of him being 
Hope Catholic comm●deth the meritis of Christ and telyeth on them  hateful to God, and defiled with sin? Contrariwise we of the Catholic profession avouch, that the merits of Christ are so potent, that they cause in us the merits of virtues, as infinite finite, as a fountain the stream, the stem the branches, the sun the beams. And as th● fruit which issueth from the stock receiveth some resemblance of nature and taste from the same: to which effect of relish some times is instilled the ●u●ce of balm, or spices into the trunk or lock of the twig engrafted, so do we attribute that vigour to the merits of Christ, that it bringeth forth in 
Our merits at▪ God ●●● 〈◊〉 and e 〈…〉 s of his grac●▪ and so no 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈…〉 mentes unto them Aug. l. de Gra. & 〈◊〉 a●. c 6. & 67. D● corrept & Grat. c 13. We must confess without doubt, therefore eternal life to be called grace, because it i● given for 〈◊〉 me rites as gracethe gave unto 〈◊〉 Epist. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 la ne 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ●um▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quaa 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of the Catholic hope against the Protestanter. Matth 16. ●uc. 12. T●●●et. ibid. 〈◊〉 of in c. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. dec 〈…〉 the difference of en●●case and reward in heaven according to degree in me 〈◊〉. judic. 16.  us also mer●ttes in proportion imitating and representing them as origen and root: our merits being effected by those in Christ, the purchase of his sacred blood, the gifts of his father's mercy▪ and therefore reposing hope in these out merits for degree of glory▪ we therein hope in the merits and grace of Christ. Neither can I think, that the Protestanter hopeth for salvation without all virtue of faith, of repentance of mortification, of observing the commandments, unless the faith of Circe's cup have transformed him in Christian man's shape to the conceit and spirit of a beast. Do not we then more illustrate the grace of Christ and his passion by opinion of our merit, before the Protestanter by his esteem of mortal sins? Good God, Through Christ & his grace no motion or action in man but mortal sins! and yet theses be they, the which to maintain their idle & libertine faith, will reproach us with Pelagianisme in impairing the grace of Christ▪ whilst they under the sun of Christ his justice place nothing else in man but mortal & hateful sins! O strange kind of influence from heaven, not falling upon a garden of virtues, but guilding and dissembling rather a dunghill of v●ces!  
8. An● as this argument drawn from the merit of Christ is demonstrative against the hope Protestantish, so also no less efficacy hath this other deduced from virtue and the office of man prescribed by nature, and also by the law of almighty God. That hope is not approvable, the which licenseth a man to slooth, to neglect of good endeavours: rather is to be embraced an hope, the which is frank in all commendable actions: But the hope Protestantish is of the former taste, and the Catholic of the latter quality; therefore that hope is to be abolished, and this to be entertained, It is not to be sufficient the expressed by words, what encouragement the Catholic receiveth from this opinion of merit: in regard whereof by good works he living reposeth a treasure for himself in heaven not corruptible, he buildeth a mansion place of eternal abode: and after that the worlds commaundrie hath by distress of fortune, or issue of death excluded him out of her service, remain the fruits of merits sprouting out as high as heaven, according to our saviours words: that is bringing fourth effects worthy of heaven, and heavenly joys. In view whereof we contemn worldly pleasures, and commodities, as the haru●st of fatal misca 〈…〉ge, and fruits of autumn soon ripe and soon corrupted In the opinion of merit we dread not in the service of God to adventure upon any difficulty, to suffer any calamity, seeing these actions and sufferances to be meritorious, and worthy of a heavenly reward. But if in works be found not any value of merit, as the Protestanter deviseth: yea rather contamination of offences, why should men endeavour in virtue, either giving the onsett, or enduring the violency of the adversary, life once expired, all good thereby decaying, and mouldering away into the ashes of the funerals? Or is it available, to sin, to offend God, to displease the sacred majesty? O vile heresy so bend to disgrace virtue, the flower and excellency of mankind? O filthy heresy, so with Dalila clipping from the Sampsons' of Christianity, the locks of their fortitude: and ●ulling them in a sleep of reckless contempt of all virtue and goodness! far of an other intelligence was S. Gregory Nazianzen, expounding that place of our saviour: ●n the house of my father are ma●●e mansions: As there be ma●●eelec 〈…〉 of lives, ●o with God ther● be 
M●tt 29. 〈…〉 g Naz. otat d 〈…〉 more pauper. 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉. ca 1●.  ma●●e places of entertainment: the which are distributed and divided according to 〈◊〉 merit and dignity. Whereupon we esteem of virtuous actions in this life as it were of things consecrated to God, and characters drawn out on the top of Olympus in dust o● ashes, to which, as reporteth Solinus, remain still not altered, by reason of the height in that place; so we taking virtues as eternal in their effects, being meritorious, do busy ourselves to that advantageable good purpose most industriously. 
How merit● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protestanter.   
9 Notwithstanding Caluin perceiving that the sacred scriptures expressly term the bliss of heaven a reward, a goal, a crown, a stipend; also to a●oyde that imputation of 〈◊〉 liberty and neglect of virtue, dissembleth the matter some what 
〈◊〉 in cap.▪ ● Matth.  by colours of words, and first a●mitteth glory celestial to be a repay and guerdon, although with impropriety of speech a thunge so termed. Than he declareth in what sense the good works of the just may be taken as meritorious: and to that effect he ●ssig●●●h two causes; the one for that they are adjoined to the justice of Christ apprehended by faith, and imputed to a bel●eue●: as ●f God for ●uch justice sake held certain works of men as meritorious: then for that to them is promised in Scriptures a stipend in heaven, therefore in virtue of such promise they are made well deserving: yet not in regard of any glory essential to beatitude, the which is omelie due, as he esteems, to the ●ustice of Christ, apprehended by saith, but of some other accidental ornament and perfection in that estate and happiness. So this john of Picardy. Doubtless in this doctrine is enfolded many and manifest injuries against the blood of Christ, and h●s holy grace First dishonoureth the peon of the holy ghost, as if in speech it used impropriety, nor did equally the nature of things reported, which is a blasphemy a●d implieth as much, as if the holy ghost were ignorant, and knew not how to speak or en●ighte, but rather gave occasion by style to others of error and mistaking; in that the Scriptures, recorded by him, ●n p●●ne terms call heavenly joy a reward, a repay, and stipend: and now foorsoo●h according to the Dictionary Theo●●g●● of this Pi●●rde, to the s●cre● Sp●●it● must be ascribed impropriety of speech, ●ea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a●use against ●o●mon se●●●, as after shall be declared. Than p●●cee●●th ●e in debasing of th● blaud of Ch●●st and h●s 〈◊〉 grace: for to 
Hope Protestantish against the i●stice o● Christ and pro●●●ence of God.  ●●ow▪ that works, otherwise in their own proper natures, mortal sins, for Christ his just 〈◊〉 b● God the father to be taken as m●●●to●●ous, ●s to force the justice of Ch●●●t ●o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins▪ to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be●●●fie sins, and make them precious ●n the 〈◊〉 ●f ●ll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God, ●ea to en●ou●adge men in pow●r of that faith to comm●●t●● ou● 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 attempts: Heeron ●o●h ●t ensue, that ●n David mu●de● 〈◊〉 in S P●t●● th● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m●ster, w●re no● only pa●doble, venial, not imputed, a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto them, wh●ch he Protestanter granteth, such tresp●sses ●●●ing ●n th●m with the grace of justification; but also meritorious and gra●●o●● unto alm●●h●●e G●d If not 〈◊〉 why good Protestanter? because, sayeth he, they 〈◊〉 sins and ●●each●s of God ●is laws: is it so? And is your memory so sh●●te, tha● you have ●o g●●●en you uttered ●o la●● by yourselves; to wit that 〈◊〉 a●d moral sins are accepted of God, for the justice of his so●ne his sake, as meritorious in persons well believing? an● why then to that effect in murder and adul●e●●e ●●●dereth the turpitude o● sin? If one sin be meritorious through Christ his justice, why no● all and every one? Let h●m an wear if he can, and rouse himself out of the 〈◊〉 of this his fo●●e and f●ll. A w●nde●ment, that Works in themselves nought ●nd sinful, should be accepted for Christ his justice, as good and rewardable! Than this Protestantish dishonest Theology au●l●th ●he providence and justice of almighty God. For well it is know●n to him, that all the works of just men are in d●ed mortal sins; how then can he accept them for other? much less esteems of them as allowakle and me●●orious? doth he not perceive, that they deserve rather damnation, and are nothing abettered by the external justice of Christ imputed▪ ●o more than an ass is made well lettered by the imputation of the Philosophy in Plato or A●●sto●le. Than most absurd and unreasonable is that providence, allowed by the Protestant, the which accounteth of bad act●ons as meritorious, and worthy reward. Such actions have no goodness in themselves, they are not well qualified by the justice of Christ no more than is murder or adultery: erroneous 
merit is not o●●●e by the promise of God.  then should be that judgement, the which should take them for meritorious and priceable. To this ●● we adjoin the promise of God, ye● can it not precisely of itself make any work in man of the value or worth of merit: for if to this purpose were competent the sole promise of almighty God, then if to David and Peter's sins had been promised some gift of heavenly bliss, in power thereof they had been exibited meritorious, laudable, and of deserving estimation: the which is most absurd. For indeed merit and reward do not arise only by a promise of any superior, that promiseth and payeth: an example, if one should promise' unto an other a thousand pounds for leaping over a straw, such leaping thereby could not be rendered meritorious and worthy: and the solution of that some should only be a satisfaction in way of fidelity, but no reward of desert, as is evident: in that merit and reward beside a promise include a proportionable equivalence of the one with the other: that i● a dep●● in the reward purchased, and a dignity or worthiness in the action performed: so than the Protestanter by his promise cannot make, or in truth call men's actions meritorious, or heaven a reward, without extreme impropriety of speech, yea falsity in substance: which he blusheth not to adsoribe unto the holy ghost. 
How heaven the grace of God Sed quia & ipsa bo●● ope●a 〈◊〉 sunt, a quo nobis & fides est & dilectio, prop●e●e● idem ipse doctor Gcnrium etiam ipsam vitam eternam gratiam nuncupault. Aug de Grat. & l arb. 7 8. 9 de corr●pt & Graccho▪ c. ●3 tract. 3 in johan. cap. 1. Augu. cap 9 He crowneth the in ●●seta●ion, and mercy▪ because by his miseration weedo good deeds unto▪ which a croven is Rendered. 1. Cor. 4 Ipsa fides gratia est, & vita aeterna▪ gratia pro gratia. Augu troth 3. in johan cap. 1. 2. Cor 4. Ca●. Tolle● in c. 8. ad Ro an 17. Protestantish hope reproved.   
10. Neither would I that long it should stick in the queasy and weak stomach of the Protestanter, as a thing harsh and crude, that we avouch of merit, as if it were repugnant to such places of scriptures, which call heavenly salvation a grace and free gift of God, informing us, that by grace we are saved, and not by our own endeavours. For to clear this matter in his eye, and to digest it in his affection, is wanting only a little wit, and a penny worth of learning. It hath been told him of the Council of Aurosicum, out of S Augustin, and S. Gregory; that our merits are the gracious gifts of almighty God, freely bestowed upon us: and so, as merit is the effect of grace given us only for the merits of Christ, so is heavenly joy an effect likewise of that grace, and finally resolved into a first cause of grace not dependent upon our behaviour: to wit to the grace of Christ, and meet goodness of all mighty God. Otherwise if comparison be made betwixt the work and that stipend the work well and fully deserveth by value in it from grace, and motion of the holy ghost: also the stipend is suitable to the work, as due unto it with a certain proportion of equivalency, and justice of remuneration. Every one sayeth the Apostle shall receive reward according to his labour. Than is labour the cause of the reward, and thus much labour of thus much reward: and in measure respecti●elie reward is to be rendered according to labour: which is to say, that virtuous labour is the merit of reward, and reward the end and price of such labour. The word of God standeth for us against the Protestan●er: heaven and earth give testimony in our cause against his heresy. And whereas the Apostle telleth us, that the sufferances of this life are not worthy of that eternal glory, he considereth those sufferances precisely in as much as they are outward impressions of adversities in us, in abstraction from act of will embracing & enduring them patiently through the Grace of Christ: and as they last but for a small time, that glory being eternal: although in respect of grace from which they flow, in view of the holy ghost, by whom they are excited, as they are labours in the harvest of our saviour, deserve fully by condignity as merities, that pen of everlasting bliss, and recompensation.  
11. Now for conclusion, seeing that the hope of the Protestanter leadeth to all dissolution and misprision of virtue: to a reckless kind of carriage in life, allowing no reward for good works, even according to the nature of this divine virtue judgement being made, doth appear the presumption and vanity of such hope aiming arrog●●tlie a●t the high pitch of beatitude; & in the mean season contemning the means assigned thereunto, that is the meri●tes of good works: in that such beatitude is proposed unto us not as a mere gratification, but as a reward, a stipend, a crown, answering to labour, to industry, to warfare in the actions of the virtuous. Yea the Protestant in his presumption not only void of merits maketh claim by a bore faith to that beatitude▪ but also clogged and loaden with sins mortal and deadly, and that in number not recountable: which is not only a proud presumption, but also an insolent impudency▪ with disgrace of man his nature, and of heaven itself, ordained only for purity, and endeavours of persons well deserving. But for that the hope Catholic expecteth everlasting glory as stipend of virtuous merits, recommending thereby the merits of Christ as efficacious and powerable in us, and making our repose in the goodness of God, and grace of our redeemer, enkindeling in all a fervent desire to achieve and purchase increase of heavenly glory, even according to the precept of reason is approved as the true & sincere hope of Christians, and of all such, as profess themselves the perfect servants of almighty God. Assuredly 
Misprision of merit is barbarous.  moreover this Protestantish belief, as it is injurious to the merits of Christ, and grace of the Gospel, so is it also harsh and monstruous●●e ●ude in account of civility. What spirit of courage will incite that Citizen's breast with a purpose to honour, and enrich his common wealth, to defend or enlarge the same by his magnificence, or valour, once possessed with a Protestantish faith, assuring that all such endeavours, devoid of meretoriouse worth▪ do expire in nothing, & leave finally his soul as naked, when his last vital breath shall forsake his corpses as dead? When eternity is not understood, in which virtue may flower by repay and guerdon, times vanishing ornaments, as of fame, of preferment, will not advance virtuous endeavours: especially when damage or disgrace are to shut up the Act upon the stage of this transitory life. This is the Northern climate of protestancy, which killeth the buds and fruits of ●udable civility with cold of a massy stupidity: This is their pilots preposterous ar●e, whereby without card or heavens aspect, they will desperately sail in the tempestuous sea of this enraged world.  

The croven in heaven once denied  
Makes toil on earth as vain espied.    

Whereas the hope Catholic taketh all strength and firmitude from the goodness of almighty God, acknoledged by faith, and in that respect relieth on his secret, hidden, and merciful predestination; The hope protestantish from predestination deriveth that repose and security; which is base, presumptuous, and in deed the high way to desperation.  
CHAPTER. XXXI.  
AS concerning this trial of Christian hope by the doctrine of predestination, there 
Matters to be discussed.  presenteth themselves especially and sutabl●e to our purpose three things to be discussed: first wherein consisteth this peculiar grace of almighty God his high predestination; then how it worketh in man his soul: lastly what is to be defined, ●● concerning the ce●●ain●ie thereof known to every person by way of ordinary illumination and instruction from above.  
●. 〈◊〉 we ●●ke in that sense, in the which it is understood by S. Augustin: to wit, for the eternal knowledge and decree of will in God, ordayining to bestow on 
predestination what it i● August. l▪ 1. de predest. sanct cap 10. l 2. de ●ono pers●●. cap. 14.  some of the race of Adame, and once in the mass of perdition through his default, an effectual and proper grace, that shall make them decease and quit this life in the happy estate of justification. Predestination sayeth S. Augustin is the preparation of grace: that is a will of bestowing such a gift upon the elect: it is Preparatio benefi corum Dei, ap●●pa ring of the benesittes of God. The effect of which predestination in the mind and will of God, is his holy grace in men, moving them to faith, to hope, to repentance, to charity, to justification, to mortification, to the observance of the law: finally to maintain one by perseverance in the good estate of justice, so that the soul be justified, when forced it is by fatality of death to forsake this mansion of the body, & so at last to attain to beatitude, as destinyed thereunto by grace and virtue. As concerning 
Grace of predestination ● free gift.  the decree in God to impart to any that grace of predestination, nothing in man could excite him thereunto as end and purpose, but merely his own bounty and goodness. Than if we compare man after the fall of Adam to this gift of grace, as the effect of predestination, besides the merits of Christ, the which satisfying for Adames trespass, as infinitely being grateful unto the divine Majesty, nothing in him appeareth as of desert: but only is extolled & magnified herein the mercy of our creator, 
Ephes. 1.  and merit of our saviour Ghrist in the benevolence thereof: He hath elected us in him before the constitution of the world, that we might be holy, sayeth the Apostle. For in that all mankind was involved in the general ruin of original sin, and so thereby rendered unto almighty God odious and disgraceful, nothing could be proffered by us of desert, that might lay just claim to the grace of predestination: contrariwise we being rather punishable by the subtraction of all heavenly succourse. Therefore the predestinate are chosen in Christ: that is furnished with the grace of predestination by God the father in view and reckoning of the worth of the merits of our saviour, his only and most dear son. The end of which grace is sanctity of remission of sins, sanctity of heavenly action, and conversation, and bliss of heaven: serving all ●onioyntlie to the honour of the divine majesty. Elected are the predestinate to the end that they may in virtue thereof be holy, and so not for any holiness foreseen in them proceeding from pure nature's ability, and foregoeinge all favourable gift of God his mercy. And what merit the Catholic doctrine acknoledgeth of the increase of grace, or of reward in heaven, it presupposeth a former grace: so that resolution in the course of God his grace predestinating, is to be made to a first grace no● deserved, but freely imparted. Whereupon S. Augustine excellently well: Not human● 
Aug epi. 106.  thing doeh go before the grace of God: but grace deserveth to be augmented, that increased it may merit to be perfected. Also ihe same Doctor acknowledgeth a merit of faith: that 
Aug. epi. 105. Cip l●. ● ep. 2. Aug serm. 15. de ve●bis Apost. Rom. ●0.  is a merit of congruity before justification. Grace sayeth he, goeth before merit: grace is not merit, but rather merit of grace. For if grace be of merit, thou hast bought it, and not received it of favour: The Apostle deduceth the same consequence from the very nature and name of grace: concluding grace to be no grace, if a repay and remercement of man his works and desert.  
3. And as this grace of predestination is the free gift of almighty God, seeing that 
The mystery of predestination.  all are not endowed with the same, although in that general harm of mankind by original sin there be no difference, every on vioaled alike thereby, and borne the children of wrath, so it hath origen from a secret judgement and decree in almighty 
Ephes. 2. Psal 50.  God, not only in his mercy, severing the elect from the reprobate, but likewise in mystery and hidden wisdom effecting the same. Whereupon the Apostle damnaundeth, Who is he, ●hat separateth thee? excluding thereby as cause of this separation any 
Rom. 10.  work of man going before grace and election thereunto. And talking of the election of the Gentiles, and reprobation of the jews, in admiration exesameth: O the 
Augu. l● 1. de predest. san. l. count 2 ●p Pelagian li. 1. ad Simplican Ephes 1 Titus 3. Luc. 20. Matth. 10. 2. Tim. 1.  depth of the wisdom, and knowledge in almighty God▪ as if from no caus● or occasion might be deduced a reason, why this man hath the grace of predestination, and not an other, both without disparity being fallen equally from the favour of God by the sin of Adam, but merely to be admi●ed the unsearchable disposition of divine ordinance, making betwixt them by a gracious ghifte a differency of election and reprobation. In regard Vherof S. Augustin in divers places designing the very beginning and offspring of predestination, in those that are of years of discretion, in certain vocations and persuasions, illuminating and stirring up the understanding, affirmeth, such vocations to be the free gifts of God, and dispositions of his dark and unknown providence▪ not subject in any sort to the natural endeavours of man his free will, as causes or merits of them. And this may serve for a brief explication of the nature and quality of the grace of predestination. The second point concerneth the manner of working of this grace in the souls of the predestinate.  
4. The grace of almighty God his predestination, although potent and ●ffectuall, 
How the grace of iust●fi. ca●●on wor●keth. Isa. 3. Ez●ch. ●8. Matth. 3. Phil. ●. 1▪ Pet 2. justin. Apoll.  as his word, avouched by the Prophet, able to contr●ue that, to whatsoever it shall be directed; yet holy scriptures teach us, that m●rt●ll men do actually cooperate with this grace, in that they are said to believe, to hope, to love, to repent, to w●rcke their salvation; and by good life to acerta●ne their vocation. Also as hath been entreated, to this grace, yield a free consent the predestinate children of God almighty, not forced thereunto by constraint, ord●●●en through necessity, as justine the Ma●●yr with others excelle●tlie well doth affirm. Neither doth ●a●i● white relish of Pelagianisme such cooperation with grace and free consent to the same: as also hath been declared. Moreover se●ting a side only the ignorance of the Protestanter▪ it is nothing appertaining to the error of Pilag●us that God▪ predestinateth men to glor●e dependantlie of their virtuous ●ndeauours through grace, as for the meri●tes and works of grace: in that first against Pelag●us the Catholik● teacheth, that the beginning of grace in predestination is not deserved by man, but is the free benevolence of God in our saviour Christ: th●n for tha● this destination of certain person● to glory by means of merits, good and f●ee works, is caused originall●e by an inward grace bountifully bestowed, not purchased as our right and in●erest, all is finally resolved to the gift of an inward g●ace, bestowed by God on his elect: and so Pelagianisme avoided; if the Protesta●ter can avoid in this mean season the mist of his own unskilfulness. Now are we in l●ke b●●●●ti● to handl● the thiede point of this subject: to wit the certainty of predestination.  
5. The predestinate are not so established in favour of God, as if in▪ vigour thereof 
Predestinate persons may sin & lose their g●●c● of ●●stification Aug. ● de co●●ep▪ & Gra●. cap. 9▪ ●▪ C●●. 1 I●hn 1. P●●● 〈◊〉 T●●d. sess 6 c 13. & ●●  they were retained always from the harm and ●●ne of sin: in that oftentimes they may and do make choi●e of some unlawful pleas●are, prohibited by the law of God and nature: neither is the virtue of predestination so in force, as if in act of sin, it preserved them in indemnity from ann●● & de●riment: se●ng that the stipend of sin vniuers●llie, ●as it is death of ●odie, so is it also, and that especially, according to the quality of the fact, the death of the soul, and loss of justice and sanctity. He that hateth his brother, ●●●eth the Apostle remaineth in death. He that standeth, l●tt him ta●● h●ed he fall ●ot. And although, as teache●h the sacred Council of T●●nt, no man aught to doubt of the gracious influence from the mercies▪ ●f God, yet no●●withstanding considering every one his own disposition and cooperation, and also offences of times past, knoweth not by certain●●e of faith, that God will continued ●h●s favourable grace, or that he is to dye in the estate of justification: this carriage and conveyance of man by predistination, as it hath been proved, being a secrecy in the 
Ephes ●. Au▪ l. ●de pec. mor● & remiss cap. 20. Aug l de bono perse●▪ Bernard. se●. 1. de septuag▪ Eccles 9 Greg l 30. Moral. ca 32. 1 Pet. 4. Vega li. 1●. in Concil. Tried. c. 12.  counsel and purpose of almighty God: in that all are predestinate▪ according to the purpose of his will▪ that is his good affection: of which will and affection from the written word no man in particular hath assurance or revelation, as excellently well teacheth S. Augustine: also expressie affirming, as concerning the gift of final perseverance, no man in this life by knowledge, without especial illustration, to have certainty and perfect persuasion. So likewise S Bernarde▪ Who can say I am of the elect, I am of the predestinate to salvation, I am of the number of the children of God, the scriptures reclaiming? Man knoweth not, whither ●● be worthy of lo●e or hatred, b●● all things rather f●r the time to come a●● k●p● as uncertain? Wherhfore if we will have any competent and moderate notice of our predestination, we m●st recommend ourselves to God, as willeth S. Peter, in benefactis, in good works, express in ourselves such conditions as he hath appointed to the saved, as observance of the commandments▪ mortification, suffering and burial with Christ: and according to the conscience we can derive from those works, comfort ourselves with a temperate kind of persuasion, that we shall once be saved: of which matter entreateth very well Andrea's Vega.  
6. The Protestanter frameth the mode●● and idea of his predestination under colour 
The Protestanter denye●h all grace of predestination or bene●●●●● in man there by.  of hypocrisy, altogether suitable to his own sensuality, yea to the the overthrew of hope finally: and so to induce either desperation, or else extremity of all vice and liberty. First therefore he mayntain●th, such to be the efficacy, as he dissembleth, of the grace of predestination; that therewith the predestinate do not so much as cooperate or mo●e even vitallie or activelie▪ but only like▪ passive subjects receive from it, what shall thereby be imp●●●te●: as if ●he predestinate▪ were raised up into heaven in a wh●●le wind o● external necessity; their souls a sleep, a●d not acting any good endeavour in the space of their lives▪ To which tenor of▪ brutish doctrine, thus writeth a Protestanter: The grace of God with me: which place the pap●stes after 
R●ino. Thes. 6 sect. 32. 1. ●o●. ●5. S Aug▪ reproved speaking for catholics l de Grat. & l. arb. ca 5. Epist 105 106 Hi●●. l. 2. con. P●l●g cap. 3. Rom 11. 9 Ro. ●1.  certain of the fathers of small or no skill in the Greek▪ ●ongue, do expound naughtily▪ The grace of God and 〈◊〉: ●o that S. Pa●le▪ ●●e which expr●s●●lie gave all to God●, ass●●●g nothing to himself, by their gloss● challengeth a part to h●●sel●●, ●●d d●●h affirm contrariwise, I and the grace of God. Whereupon as if S. H●erom favoured this s●●se Protestantish, he commendeth his reading: The grace of God, which is with m●. For proof of which understanding about the grace of predestination is alleged by the Protestants such te●●●s of S. Paul, as do exclude from cause of salvation, or separation from ou●e the m●sse of perdition man his work and endeavour: and therefore say they grace▪ of predestination performeth the whole office of a Christian man, without man h●s work and cooperation●; as the ●●●de build●th her nest●● the concavity. of 〈◊〉 or as the painter doth beautify the wall by 〈◊〉 external activity of his ar●e: for otherwise men were to be saved by their works, which they repute as detestable. So they wise men. And seeing that the grace of predestination by this verdict doth not admit●●nie 
Certain knowle●●● of predestination in the Protestanter. justified persons may wa●● perseverance A●. de cor●ep● & g●at cap ●. Confess P●c. 4 a●t. 5. & 13.  cooperation or vital motion of man his will, much less according unto the same, d●th it permit freedom of will ●n ●he good works▪ of the predestinate▪ esteeming all such endeavours as feats of grace, the 〈◊〉 ●●ta●ning ●o ability or liberty to the contra●●e. In regard of the know●n certa●●● o●▪ this predestination the Prostanter is of opinion, that most assuredl●●●t is perceived and discovered by every one predestinate, being made apparent unto him, that neither b● no sin he shall at a●●e time lose his justice, or at the lest; that he shall be fore death recover such grace▪ and dye ●n the happy estate thereof: Every man must privately conclu●e: Bianca saith I am in Christ Ie●us, and therefore I cannot p●●●sh: and ●m most 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 eternal salvation▪ Now come ●●to the 〈◊〉.  
7. That opinion of Christian hope is by choice to be preferred in this controversy of predestination, that serveth most to▪ virtue, to honesty, to diligency in the service of almighty God▪ But in this respect the Catholic judgement and hope are most eminent, the Protestantish belief & trust standeth for the contrary; the hope therfoore 
Virtue in the predestinate against the Protestanter.  Catholic is to be entertained, and the confidence Protestantish to be refused. Virtue can not arise as a laudable endeavour of man, unless it be produced by man: and that after a manner of free working, as hath been declared: how then are the predestinate of the Protestantish sect endued with virtue, and praise worthy employmentes, that neither vitallie and activelie cooperate with grace, nor of free choice & 
Arist. l. ●. mag Moral. ca ●5.  election any whit endeavour? Predestinate men are bound in chains of necessity▪ meet matter & passed of a foreign impression! Is this Christian hope for man to expect salvation, by no act of man to be atcheiued, and he as piece of wood to be fashioned by the artificeres chisel as he pleaseth, as subject only to the operation of a● other? Fie loathsome and floathfull confidence! And why not loathsome? when hope is raised in arrogative to heaven, not maintained or supported by virtue? Why nor a slothful confidence, in that bliss is aimed at in a lazy repose, as if man were not to stir or move, but only grace to contrive the total perfection of the soul? And where the Apostle S. Paul excludeth works from being cause of salvation, disputing against the jews and Gentiles, he taketh works in their substance without 
Rom. 10. & 11 How salvation without works.  faith, and grace, as the Protestanter might easily descry, if he could rid himself of that gross cloud of ●gnorance, wherein his senses are ●●folded. And must a predestinate Protestant look then for salvation without all his action and work? then doth he look to gain the goal without his race, the reward without honesty, heaven without faith, hope, and charity: and are not these three virtues by grace the works of men? Are they only the works of God effectivelie? if so, than a Protestant believeth no●, he hopeth not, but God for him: as the table is painted, and painteth not, the great fool tossed in a blankett, and tosseth not. Yea but S. Paul, sayeth one, 
R●●no●▪ sup.  adscribeth all to God. A deep speculation sure of th●● shallow, although spiteful head, as devoid of spirit, so of brains, and the very dishonour of ou● Oxford and nation: whom yet neue● learned Catholic deemed worthy an answer, after so much his froth disgorged against the rock of S. Peter. And yet this babbling vain 
Wake. orat. Fun●b. Rex. Platon.  libelle● must needs be recommended by a rabbling orato●● of that university, as the flower and prince of literature and skill in Theology▪ Certes a fit orator to blaze out so fai●e a su●●e, and his course colors proportionable to draw forth the ugly shape of deformed heresy. And is not hi● eloquence so in style r●de, & barba●ouse, a● far from the learned la●guadge of 〈◊〉, as it is from the divine religion thereof: a● much strained from judgement, as is the argument of his en●omi●sticall speech from substance of verity?  

— Co●●ls● c●spid● 〈◊〉 
Papin lib. 9 ● 100   
Diff●g●r● i●b●, pat●itq●● ingloria c●ssis.  
By struck of s●●are ●is plume did lose its place,  
And maked cr●st appertain foul disgrace.   
Neither are we amated, if ●ew Theological M●s●s, entertained a C●●ls●●, give us the ●roune, and present our eyse with the dreadful spectacle of a strange Gorgon upon the shield of Pallas, or if those aged Graces abandon the de●aied and withered Helicons, to repair nearer to a fuller Themes, or a louder cry of London: for here we assure our salves, that Chealsea Doctors will never prove so good as Chilsea cockles. Now let us come to the corpse of the ●●●ister.  
●. I demand of him therefore, why their man do actually through grace believe in God, hope in his mercy, and love him or no? If he an swear he doth not: then shall 
Grace woreketh in man & with man▪ Aug. l. de Gra. & l. ar. cap. 5. 2 Tim. 4.  he injury the Apostle among the rest, that said, I have kept my faith, I have consummated my cour●● etc. and so the minister must confess, that he never believed in God in all his life, or his ghost for him, or wrough ever according to virtue: which certes is an high prejudice against the ministery, and against all Christianity. But if he return answer, that man doth indeed actually and vitallie exercise the functions of those virtues; then will I press him farther with this interrogation: to wit, whither man alone perform such offices, or rather man with grace? To affirm that man alone acteth them, is Pelagianisme, and an open insolency against the grace of God. Likewise to determine, that man and grace do produce them, is to grant that man cooperateth with grace, and that both concur to the performance of such virtues. Where then is the fault either in text or sense thereof, we affirming, man to work with the grace of God, seeing that not only grace, no● only man endeavoureth, but grace with man, and man with grace? O silly and windy brain of the minister! But S Hierom, sayeth he, standeth for us in favour, surrendering all to grace, working not with man, but in man. Let us see and examine this favour, and try whither it be the favour of the whip, rather than of the purse. The Apostle, doth say, that neither 
Higher in ●a. 15. ●. ae ad Cor. Aug epi. 10●. 106.  he did labour in the gospel without grace, lest that, against that which before he had a●●●ched, he should seem to arrogate to himself any thing, neither grace without himself, that he might maintain free-will. O ●auour from S. Hierome against the minister affirming man his will not only vitallie and actuielie; but by freedoome to concur and cooperate with God his grace! How then is all accomplished by sole grace? And although disputing against the Pelagians he read, But the grace, which is in me, yet he maketh issue just upon the Catholic and Roman sense: Not I, but the grace of God which is 
Hier. l. 2 co●. Pelag. c. 3.  with me. He sayeth that forthwith he doth refer this his labour to the help of God, affirming: Not I, but the grace of God, which is with me. Than according to S. Hierom, the Apostle laboured: if he laboured, and that not by force of nature without grace, he laboured with grace, and cooperated with the same. And when as the Apostle attributed the work to grace, which was with him, as expoundeth S. Hierome, he meant no more but that the cause of his good work was not only natural ability, but the efficacy of grace: which grace this Doctor termeth auxil●●m an help: and so respecteth the concourse of will together with grace as help. For in propriety of language hath not help a relation to an other cause as partial and concurrent? If any Protestant be acquainted with the black genius or smoky man●● of this rotten sectary, let him awake, and defend his reputation, if he can, or da●e.  
9 As conceaning the certain knowledge of private and personal predestination, 
The Protestantish assurance of personal predestination filthy, & the way to despair. Condition's requisite to salvation. Matth 19 Colos. 3. Rom 8. ●▪ Rom 6. T●●▪ ●. Colos 3. 2. Tim 2.  it hath been proved in the precedent treatise, such belief to be no faith at all, but a feigned collusion, and a mere phanatisme. For the present I shall remonstrate that it is also impute, unchristian, ungodly, and the very lu●● and bait of sin and all iniquity. First therefore this pretended hope serveth to denial and refusal of all hope in God, and resolveth itself finally into most odious and detestable desperation It is ●n assured verity, and expressly mentioned in holy scriptures, that the attaining of eternal bliss dependeth on certain conditions concerning the life & carriage of man: as that the commandments of God and nature be observed, our neighbour and enemy charitably be loved, our flesh and concupiscences chastised and repressed, that our manners be squared according to the spirit and inward man, not at the ditection of the body and outward substance: that we are to die and to be bu●ied with Christ, to suffer with him, and conform our actions to that innocency of hi●. Which thing once admitted by the Protestant, unless he neglect the sentence of God his 
Children of God according to present justification may die children of the devil Au. li. de corrept & Gra. cap. 9 Erant it a que in bono, sed quia in co n● permanser●t, non erant ex no●is. The predestination of a beast.  word, must needs according to his own principle of certain knowledge of his personal predestination, drive and cast him to despair, to abandon his own office and duty for the service of the diu●ne majesty. For when a Protestanter findeth himself in his whole tract of life defective and faulty in those conditions, as having been a great sinner, bestowing his time in suit after sensuality, thereupon he may and will begin to doubt and stagger in the assurance of his proper salvation: and so on the one side acknowledging that the true children of predestination remain as fully persuaded that they be predestinate, as that the sun shineth, or that God himself is existent: and on the other he not finding such clear and established conceit and persuasion of his own salvation, hath no other final resolution to make, then to accounted himself as of one devoid of faith and justice, and so a child rather of perdition. If he make reckoning of his estate as derived from his behaviour, his actions and good works, as he confesseth himself, Incerta esset spessal●tis, the hope of salvation would be uncertain: Than of consequence must he deem himself a beast, and God no just judge: and thus devise to gain repose: I know my wholelife to be defiled in deed with sins, and my demeanour not to have observed the commandments of God and nature, my flesh and sensual appetite not to have been mortified, as it is prescribed in holy writ: I have not died with Christ to pleasure, to the world, nor suffered with him in resistance given to temptations internal and external; finally I find that my behaviour hath in no sort been answerable to the rules of manners given by Christ and his Apostles; yet relying only on the mercy of God, I evidently and certainly ●epute myself a child of salvation, one of the predestinate: and it is known unto me in spirit, I feel it in my soul, and the Lord in the care thereof speaketh as much. If therefore I sum up the arguments of my hope taken from my works, and condition appointed in scriptures, nothing presenteth itself to my cogitations but grisly and ghastly despair; but reckoning only according to God his mercies, turoinge my eye away from the conditions of works and virtues, I remain in a sugared repose, in a tour of assurance, that my salvation is predestinated by the Lord.  
10. Is not the Lord much beholden to this his servant protestant, that maketh 
1. john. cap. 1 The Protest●ters largesse of dishonesty, & semiquaver of virtue.  his master a liar, a maintainer of dishonesty and disloyalty against his own empire and authority? Certes such a one is the predestinative Protestanter. It is enacted in holy writ, that none can enter into heaven, but such as keep the commandments, as die with Christ in mortification, as rise with him in newness of life: and here the Protestanter cometh in with a short cut, and a brief cipher in algrim of his sole confidence in the mercies of his lord, and thereon buildeth he the whole fabric of eternity, of his certainty in belief, of his personal predestination! So that if a knave can rely on the mercies of God, he is the child of God, although his neighbours buy take him for a varlett, and well worthy the gallows. Great honour doubtless to God, to have such fair children of his predestination! And that this certain knowledge of his doth not so much as require the presence of good works, & of those conditions rehearsed in scripture, but may consist with the want and violation of them all, he himself professeth; challenging an ability about the discovering assuredly of his own salvation in the very act of sin, as of adultery, fornication, murder, rebellion: and for the time to ensue knowing undoubtedly that he shall fall into those grievous sins, yet confidently doth he pronounce and believe, that he 
The unclean predestination of a Protestant.  is predestinated to salvation. Fowl and filthy pride of the Protestanter! The Protestant knoweth that no sin expelleth his grace of justification, and thereupon seethe himself predestinate in the very act of damnable crimes, deeming his soul to receive 
Quae praesum p●o in isto tentationum l●co non exp●dit, ubi tanta est infirmitar ut super 〈◊〉 possit gene●a re secu●●●● Aug. de correp & Great c. 13 ● 2 de 〈◊〉 eccl ca 19 reporeteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the M●●chies s●me were called elect in life very wicked. Not Protestant more then a Pelagian can pray for perseverance, being sure aow thereof Aug. l. de corrept & Grat. c. 6. De dono pursue c. 3 o● say our lord his prayer joan. 1.  no hurt from such evil behaviour. Why then should a Protestant be sorry or repent him for his sins, seeing that before such repentance and corrosive he evidently assureth himself that he is predestinate, and that no action of sin hath wrought any detriment to his soul, or cast him in hazardie to lose his joy in heavenly beatitude? Why should he retain a careful fear for the menagement and bestowing of the time to come, perceiving in this sort, that although he sin actually, as in felony, adultery, or breach of charity, or for the time to come shall 〈◊〉 such crimes, yet notwithstanding he is to be saved, and to receive no damnadge spiritual by such enormities? O impudent beastilitie, that swayeth the sceptre in the religion Protestant●sh! Verily who seethe nor, that the opinion of the Protestanter in this matter avoideth all care and solicitude of virtues and good works, when he once by faith beholdeth himself without all doubt as predestinate? knowing that the predestination of God cannot be alltered or hindered: that the last effect thereof, to wit glory in heaven, is due to faith accompanied with any sin, resolveth, that he shall be saved, let himself or the devil do what they can by dishonesty to the conirarie. But the holy and virginal Apostle and Evangelist S. john giveth him the ●ye in plain terms, to his dishonour and immortal reproach: If we shall say, that we have felooushipp with him, and walk in darkness, welye and perform not truth: but the Protestanter committing any sin by assurance of faith judgeth himself just, and the predestinate child of God, therefore he lieth, and being in darkness neither doth believe, or work any truth. Again: He that sayeth he knoweth God, and leepeth not his commanndementes is a liar: But the Protestanter avoucheth that one actually breaking all the ten commandments knoweth God, & that as his father, and author of his predestination, and that no sin, into which certainly he shall fall before he die, can cast him out of the estate of justice or salvation, therefore he lieth, and lieth in deed like a beast in the filthy soil of his own reckless behaviour.  
11. far more pure and Christian is the moderation of the Catholic in this affair, 
Predestination Catholic serveth to virtue.  so conceiving opinion and confidence of predestination, as we are retained thereby in the se●re of God, and diligent employment in virtuous actions and holy endeavours. We are not ignorant, but that if we be predestinate, then of necessity we are to be saved, not that theerby we have licence given us to live as we lust, esteeming that no sin of ours can frustrate our predestination: for so should we make the issue for our lives into all corruption and bestiality: but we include in predestination the grace of God and effects thereof, which be virtues, good works, observances of the commandments, mortification, newness of life, repentance, prayer, devotion perseverance, and such like offices of p●et●e and integrity: & so conclude, that if we be predestinate, that is if we shall keep the commandements, repent us of our trespasses & live as we aught to do, finally die in grace by perseverance, then shall we be saved of necessity: which necessity hath no brutish scope of wickedness, being restrained to grace and virtue: or importeth it any impeachment to man his free will, implying actions and merits, which proceed from free-will. And in that we challenged not to ourselves salvation, as by certain faith beholding our particular predestination, we conserve in ourselves the fear of God, accounting of sin, as of a fact, that may cast us from out his savour, and object us to the sentence of eternal reprobation. Also in the revew of our lives past finding that we have not kept the commandments, as we should, nor repent ourselves so from the heart, as is requisite, neither to have walked with Christ, or in him, in purity and newness of life, we conceive the greater fear of God his iudgegementes, and in virtue thereof, now carefully buckle ourselves to repentance, tomortification, to good purposes of virtues and holy conversation. Contrariwise the Protestanters 
Iren. l. 1. ca 5. Ba●on Tom. 10 pag 60. Not Protestant can pray: thy name be sanctified Aug de dono pursue ca 2 Cyprian in orat. dom●n. Nunquid in his computandus e●t judas, qui non man sit in verbo eius? Aug. l. de correpet Grat. ca 9  just are of the same religion with the Puritan gnostic condemned in the primitive church, assuredly believing and knowing themselves to be Semina electionis the choice seed of predestination: with jovinian, also Eunomius, and later heretics called Predestinations, licence themselves in all indemnity to turpitude of life; knowing now certainly, although sinful and detestable, that they shall die in favour with God, and so receive no damnage from their sins. This is a point certainly not only to be refuted by the Catholic divine in the Protestanter, but also to be punished by the civil magistrate: in that it is impossible any Protestant so framed in judgement, to be a good subject to his prince, sithence he deemeth himself a child of God in act of stealth, of rebellion, or of any villainy against the estate of a common wealth. Emboldened is he hereby to accomplish what designment concupiscence shall suggest, warranted still from heaven that he is the child of God, do he in this life what he can or please. Auante hellish heresy, with all thy peacocks feathers, fastened to the bodies of hogs and swine, displeasing to God and man.   

Such esteem maketh the hope Catholic of God his gracious mercies through our saviour Christ, as that he destrinyeth none by reprobation to hell but through their own default: whereas the Protestanter maketh God a Tyrant, in this life disfornishing the reprobate of all sufficient grace, & after casting them into hell fire without any misdeserte of theirs.  
CHAPTER. XXXII.  
AS the mercy of almighty God through predestination is deduced to the childien and elect inheritors of his kingdom of heaven, and yet in wonderful secrecy of coverture, in a mystical concealment of high disposition, so also towards others by reprobation is extended his most just judgement notwithstanding enfolded 
1. Pet. 5. 2 Tim. 1. What points concern reprobation.  in semblable obscurity of his unsearchable designementes: our m●ndes in conceit of the one and of the other are humbled under ●he powerable hand of his will, purpose and decree. We are therefore for the particular intelligence of reprobation to remarck two things, as especially implied in the same: Frst, what manner of grace, or whether a●●e or none, be afforded to the reprobate: and from what reason that providence di●ne towards them doth proceed: then in what sort such persons of perdition are destinyed to everlasting torments of hell fire, estranged from the mercy of God, in regard of ever abettering their estates: only become matter of his severe and due justice to be inflicted upon their bodies and souls. 
The reprobate are not excluded from out heaven only in view of original sin.   
2. Although it be most true, that with great difference of eye and benevolence God doth respect these two orders of men, both plunged equally in the common bale of original sin, to wit the predestinate and the reprobate: Nevertheless we are not so to think of this divine disposition, as if from it hath passed a sentence from eternity against all the reprobate efficaciouslie decreeing their utter exclusion out of his kingdom of heaven for the sole demeritt of original offence For be it, that so it is in deed in regard of children dying in their mother's wombs, and also of such as depart this life altogether debarred from possible means of Baptism, nature in some cases having effected that want, neither in their parents being ability to the contrary, nevertheless in respect of those, which be reprobate attaining to years of discretion, and use of free-will, it is said generally of God his mercy by the Apostle: God wishes all men to be saved, & to attain to the knowge 
1. Tim 2.  of his name: which could not be verified, if he had allotted the reprobate to such disgrace as cast out of heaven only for original crime; for that by his appointance of such exclusion, he himself had made their salvation already impossible.  
3. Whereuhon seeing that all man kind God beheld in equal calamity by original 
The mystery of reprobation  sin, he wrought not a separation and distinction amongst them, as of himself excluding certain from out his heavenly paradise, electing others to eternal bliss in that happy place; but rather began this his separation & distinction by the diversity of grace bestowed on them: which decree resolved finally is merely into his own wisdom unsearchable by man or Angel. And although original guilt contracted in every one, might be a just cause why God should reprobate any, whom he pleased, and to deny them the peculiar favour of that especial grace of his predestination; yet why this person should want it, rather than an other, both semblably in disfavour with him by original fault, no other cause can be rendered by us, than that rehearsed by the Apostle in exclamation: O the height of knowledge and wisdom of God 
Rom 11. Matth. 20.  And again: I will have mercy on whom I will have mer●ie. Is it not lawful for me to do● what I will? Which manner of preventing the reprobate with a grace of meaner quality, then that which is bestowed on the predestinate, seeing it importeth a sufficiency of ability, in virtue whereof they might believe, and live aright, is the free gift, and benefit of God, and so no punishment, as presupposing such persons endowed with that grace of mere sufficiency, to have been absolutely before excluded from heaven, as hath been declared: in that such exclusion consisting of P●na damni Penalty of loss and privation of the beatifical vision, is the most sharp punishment that befalleth the reprobate, & is not inflicted upon them, but upon foresight of their actual misdemeanure e●ther in life, or faith, or both, as testifieth S. Augustine: God punisheth, sayeth he, the reprobote, Wome therefore he punisheth, for that he did soresee 
Aug. l. 6. Hyp.  of what quality they were to be: nevertheless he maketh not them to be punished, or hath predestinated them thereunto. Wherhfore seeing that exclusion from heaven is so great a detriment, to that none is allotted, but only after foresight in God of actual sins: otherwise they should of necessity be cast into damnation, and that by the predestination of God, which S. Augustin expressie reproveth Wherhfore the grace which 
Not like grace in the reprobate and predestinate. Aug de praedestin Sanctorum c 8. l. 2 count 2 epi. Pelag c 7 Epist. 105.  is imparted to the reprobate is not so potent or effectual, as that in the predestinate: because God did foresee, that the reprobate, if prevented with such grace, would not cooperate, as they might, or give correspondence, but rather through their default were to dye in estate of mortal sin: not that they could do no otherwise, or that they become infidels, adulterers of necessity, for want of all sufficiency to the opposite virtues, but for that God did foresee, that they would not work with his grace, when as they might: and so giving them such a grace, presupposal mad● that he knew condicionallie before his decree of bestowing the same, that if they had such a grace, yet they wolud depart this life in estate of mortal sin, as of infidelity, iniquity, the rupon determining to bestow this precise grace, & no other, he made in this variety of grace a fundamental distinction and separation betwixt the predestinate and reprobate, not so merciefullie dealing with the reprobate as with the predestinate he had ordained such a g●ace in that measure of efficacy and congruity, as he knew condicionallie before his absolute gift, that they would cooperate with it, and so to be prevented, as that they would decease in the quality of justice and sanctification. 
The reprobate have sufficient grace. Augu. de corrept & Grat. c. 9 11. 13. Tract 14. in johan. ca 12. epist 49 107. ep●. ●o●. 107. Matth. 11.   
4. Nevertheless such persons once to be reprobated to everalsting torments, here in this life are not so sequestered from God his mercy and grace, as if our saviour Christ were not to them a redeemer at all, or from the merit of his cross they received no assistance and help to resist the corruption of nature in them still provoking to evil, or by importunity thereof, and through a necessity inevitable forsaken, as if they were carried into wickedness and turpitude of life: as if God in them wrought the very effect of obduration, and destination to unjustice and abomination: when as rather we are to judge of the sweet providence of almighty God, especially so mollified and inclined to mankind by the sacrifice of his son in manner most eminent & perspicuous▪ that it preventeth and aideth here in this life by grace the wills of delinquent reprobates▪ in force whereof they retain ability to observe his commandments, and to avoid such sins, for which they are to endure that immortal scorch of hell fire. The words of our sovereign judge are universal, and directed 
1. Tim. 2.  to every one: Come unto me all that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. And the Apostle: Who willeth that all men be saved: therefore he withdraweth from none sufficiency of succou●se to perform their duties Whereupon S. Augustine talking of that reprobate prince Phaaro, pronounceth, that What free-will he did fight against the most merciful truth of almighty God: and so had the possibility of virtue, although 
Aug l. de. pre dost. & great. ca  vicious in resolution of action, which possibility and free-will in offence had not been in him extant, if he wanted all help of grace, oppressed in the mean season with necessity of misdemeanure.  
5. Finally as concerning that part of reprobation which consisteth in deputation 
Reprobation to hell after sins foreseen.  of certain offenders to th● torments of hell fire, it is vndoub●edlie to be thought, that almighty God no otherwise by his decree casteth men into the infernal pit, or from eternity determineth such their fall and painful ruin, then after foresight of their sins: into the which voluntarily and freely they flinghe themselves, having power to eschew such enormities, for which they are so to be chastised. And this truth is evidently affirmed by our saviour and judge his words: who uttering against certain the sentence of damnation▪ veldeth a reason thereof: For I have been hungry, and 
Matth. 20. Conc Valen. ca 3. Aug l 6. Hip. cap. 7.  you have not given me to eat. And the Council of Valentia defineth, that in the reprobation of the wicked, Bad merits go before the just judgement of God. Likewise S Augustine avoucheth God to reprobate such persons, for that he knew their evil manners to come. And who otherwise can esteem of the goodness of God, then that only for sin, yea voluntarily and freely committed, he so severely taketh revenge in those ever enduring flames of hell fire?  
6 The Protestanter entereth into conceit of reprobation, as if God first beholding 
Protestantish cruel and which ●d reprobation.  the reprobate in the vulgar mass of original crime, should effectually exclude them out of his kingdom: then thereby after moved to deny them all grace and possibility for virtue, as for faith, hope, charity, repentance, observance of the law: in respect whereof h● p●onounceth, Christ never to have offered his passion for the reprobate, or to have been either in his intention, or their benefit, a redeemer of them, otherwise by the decree and action of God made obstinate in sin, and thereby destined in necessity to sin and transgression: and so finally tumbled into hell fiere, and eternal damnation. And that these persons of reprobation in their lives do want all grace to resist temptations, by their account appeareth, in that they deny all grace, that is merely sufficient, as also freedom of will: whereupon doth it ensue in consequence, that the reprobate never enjoy any grace from Christ, the proper gift as they say, of the sole predestinate: but through necessity despoiled of it fall and trespass. Whereupon thus after Caluin speaketh a Protestanter of the redemption of 
Raino. Apol. Thes. se 14▪ & The 4. sec. 24.  mankind by our saviour Christ: The followers of the Gregorian doctrine ought to understand the words of ●ho●: he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole worlds, of ihe sins of the saithful, and of all the elect of God every where: and denieth utterly, that Christ by sufficiency of redemption or grace did ever provide for the good estate of the reprobate. Whereupon also as concerning the other part of reprobation, to wit the sentencing to hell fire, they acknowlddge such fall and punishment inflicted upon the reprobate to be occasioned by their sins: yet so, as if in no sort they could avoid them, but even by the work of God were first obdurated, corrupted with sins, and tied in Chains of iniquities, then finally reprobated, & hurled into the lake of hell fire: only for excuse and reason of such dreadful justice they affirm, all such reprobate persons in Adam to have been of ability to avoid their trespasses, and so to obtain grace: although now his default supposed, of necessity they be infideles, murderers, adulterers, and in all kind of wickedness offenders. Proceedee we to trial.  
7. That hope aught to be chief in preferment, the which most detecteth sin 
Sin in the acc●u●● Catholic declared as odious against the Protestanter. Praedicit ergo & peccata ●ominum, quae poruit prae ●●ire, non facere Aug. ●p. 120. ca 19  unto us as detestable, and to be abandoned: but the Catholic hope is only of this vigour, the Protestantish contrariwise impudent, and an emboldment to dissolution, therefore that is the hope of Christ, and this the presumption of Antichrist. If sin be the effect either of constraint, that urgeth beyond faculty of resistance, or of necessity that bendeth farther than ability to the contrary can arrive, what horror may they reprobate conceive in the cogitation of their evil facts, reputing themselves as flaues of sathan, & iniquity, not through their proper and personal default, but only Adam his fall: the which they in persons never could hinder or debar? Certes such demeanour although brutish, yet not of freedom, and personal liberty, cannot appear to any judgement as detestable, not being an human carriage or default in them, but an outward impulsion of fate and destiny. Where then is sin so odious to God in the reprobate, where is the ugly shape of injustice, of intemperance, of incontinence, when as poor nature overpressed by concupiscence beareth all their deformities through a necessity, not conquerable or resistable? Neither to this effect 
Aug epi 7 23. where he proveth that ●●e will in Adam extended itself only to original sin in his posterity and not to actual, which dependeth on their personal freedom. So all▪ so spi▪ 46 47. Arist l. 1 mag Me●al ca 14.  of culpable action in the reprobate is sufficient the freedom of will, wherewith Adam, and they in him transgressed the divine law: for adultery, maurder, rebellion, rapine, stealth, and the like are personal sins, not original or habitual, remaining in children before any work of sin: and therefore require a personal knowledge and libartie in the offenders. And without all substance of argument affirmeth the Protestanter that such sins are free and voluntary in the prime offence of Adam: for although all sins are events of that first miscarriage, yet neither Adam, nor all mankind did sin in adultery, murder, or in those trespasses▪ wherewith now our race generally is violated and defiled: for, that any event, ensuing of a cause be voluntary and free in the same, is to be exacted the knowledge thereof, and then consent thereunto after such information. For example: he that perceiveth himself to be in danger to kill, if in drink he surpassed measure, should not only sin against temperance; but also justice, and trespass inwardly as a manslayer: but if there were no science theof, or obligation to understand of such sequel, being mo●allie not any danger or cause of that consequence, there should want the offence of manslaughter. In like sort Adam, and we all, did not recount with ourselves eating the forbidden fruit, that David would murder, and commit adultery, that S. Peter should deny his master, and so the freedom of that eating, could not be derived to the event of all sins, that not follow that first transgression: and therefore according to the Protestanter, murder & adultery are no otherwise the effects of original sin, than punishments thereof, as be quartaneagues, evil lavored bodies, and other calamities: & so no more culpable and reproachful than they, in that all are indifferently of necessity, and had all one freedom in our first parents with ability to have been avoided.  
8. Moreover that hope is not sincerely Christian, the which abolisheth the grace 
Hope Protestantish aga●st the grace of Christ.  of Christ, restraineth the same in opinion from his natural flow, extent, & abundance: then how is the hope Protestantish Christian or gracious, so in disgrace and reproach of Christ and his merit? If the reprobate have no redeemer, what succour gain they from heaven against sathan, and disobedience in the first man Adam? How doth Christ his justice equalise the injustice of him: Adam his sin overflowing and surrounding all man kind, when as redemption by Christ is recalled to the paucity of the elect: and all others as it were in the cimmerian soil estranged from the beams of his goodness? May they not complain, that for Adams take they have been forlorn persons, impotent to believe, to live according to the law, without Christ, without God, and all benefit of mercy? may the not avouch that to them was never sent Christ, or that ever they heard him speak to the ears of their souls, never received any stroke from his fiery dantes of love and affection, never sensed any liquor of his honey comb to sweeten the taste and passage of virtue, never were refreshed with his chaste Zephyrus, to cool the ardent heat of their inflamed concupiscence, never beheld heaven favourable unto them, or God beneficial? O cruel design of the Protestantish hope, and extremely injurious to the extremity of all grace flowing so copiously from the balm tree of Christ his cross! Contrariwise the Catholic hope regardeth the merit of Christ first of infinite value & price, as action and sufferance of a divine person, infinitely gracious and acceptable to his d●uine father: then doth it respect the communication of this merited grace to all mankind, as informeth us the Apostle, comparing the desert of Christ to the trespass of Adam: in such sort, that a● this passed to all mankind, so doth the other in sufficiency extend 
Rom 5. 1. joan 2.  itself to every one, good and bad, predestinate and reprobate: he being our propititiation, and also a propitiation For the sins of the whole world: in which manner, was God in Christ reconcilinge the world to himself; for that the world was redeemed by abundance of price, and benefited from the same with sufficiency of grace.  
9 And as this hope Protestantish standeth in impeachment of Christ his merit 
The Protestant defineth against the judgement of Christ's.  so also doth it misprise, yea condemn as wicked the power of judicature, given him by his father, as to a supreme judge and determiner in case of eternity at the latter day. What? will the Protestanter esteem so of Christ, & his purchase in that kind o● principality, as if he exceeded in tyranny any Dionysius, any Phalaris, or the cruelest s●ithan infierced never so much by the rude air of the northern climate? will Christ adjudge to hell fire, and that for all eternity, breakers of his commandments, as Infidels, incestuous and licentious people, which never had power to avoid such crimes, to believe in truth, or to restrain in righteousness the libertine scope of an vnb●●dled sensuality? Fie filthy blasphemy, vamped from the mouth of su●h an heretic▪ to stain the very rays of the sun his purity, yea to dishonour the divinity Where then is justice, the weight of the punishment balanced, and the excusable necessity of offence considered? or in what place resideth mercy, if God give over so many as sh●ll be condemned, to the fury of devils, whilst they live utterly despoiled of all ability to resist, as to repent, or to direct their lives according to virtue? far of an other sense was S. Ambrose: commenting upon those words of 
1. Tim. 2. Ambros. ibid. Oecum Aug. De corrept & Grat. ca 10. 11. Tra 54 in johan. ca 12. Cirill. Alex l, 5. cont. Iul●●  the Apostle: He would have all m●● saved, He willeth that all be saved, if they themselves will as much: for as he gave a la to all, so doth he exempt none from salvation. In respect of which reasons entreated, conclusion may be made demonstrativelie in way of trial against the hope Protestantish, as brutish in action, injurious to Christ his passion in presumption, bending to desperation, and blasphemous against the merciful disposition of almighty God. Never did the Pagan behold his Mars so cruel as a Protestant doth his god: Neither could Mars beheld by the Pagan incite him to greater inhumanity, then doth the providence of that God, which Protestants acknowledge in their Idolatry.   

The Hope Catholic, to the commendation of the merit of our saviour Christ, expecteth from the Sacraments, as seven in number, so as from effectual causes of sanctification, grace and justice inherent: whereas the vain repose of a fainted hope in the Protestanter is most injurious to such merit, and all ●enefitt of heavenly grace.  
CHAPTER. XXXIII.  
ALTHOUGH the mercies of God flow from that main and infinite of his own 
Means and conditions of grace.  goodness, the which redoundeth so in himself, yet for our peculiar instruction and edification, he hath applied to this great fountain of grace certain instruments as conduct pipes reaching to us, for the more commodious derivall thereof unto our souls: in manner as that our hope aiming at the favour and grace of him, expecteth the same respectivelie & dependantlie upon certain means and conditions, designed to that effect by his admirable wisdom and providence. So in the time of the synagogue, the people of Israel looked for grace from above conditionally relying upon their temple and propi●iatorie: all mighty God promising unto them, that in that place especially he would devil by a loving grant unto their requests, and be more copious and prompt to clemency, for their devotions, in that sacred house of his habitation, exhibited, then otherwise he would. Also for the like reason the rites of religion and sacrifices used by the same people, were means whereby they hoped for the succourse of heavenly grace, trusting to obtain it not only 
2. Paralip. 6.  immediately from the goodness of God almighty, but by the interceding property and quality of religion, of ceremony, of sacrifice and outward face of piety. Which hope of theirs, so limited and restrained to creature's and secondary causes, did in no wise diminish the ocean of God his natural bounty, but rather commended the same▪ for that such bounty imparted unto them that self same ceremony, that sacrifice: in virtue whereof they concurred to the work of grace and sanctification: yea they stood for the exalting likewise of the merits of our saviour Christ, for whose price and worth God the father bestowed on them those monuments of religion as aultare, ark, and the whole appearance of devotion. Whereupon in semblable manner we Christians and members now of the Catholic church, hope for grace from the mercy of God, from the purchase and deserts of Christ, yet attending it as the effect of Sacraments, instituted by Christ, sanctified by his own blood, yea dispensed by his principal ministery and execution.  
2 Wherhfore first our Catholic hope for the exaltation and glory of the cross, & 
The number of seven sacraments been ficall and gracivos.  merits in our saviour Christ, regardeth the holy number of seven sacraments, wherewith every pa●te and parcel of our l●ues. all estates of Christian men, are benefited, blessed, fenced, consecrated, and assisted by a peculiar grace and commodity. To which sense of doctrine thus excellently well the Roman Carechisme: [That▪ the sacraments in numberate no more nor less, may be shown with a probable reason by a similitude, transferred from the caturali to the spiritual. For a man to live and to conserve his life, & to employ it for the public utility of the common wealth, 
Cat Ro. part. 2 sect. 11. D. Thomas l. 4 con. Gent. cap. 58.  these seven things are necessity: to wit that one be borne, that he nourish and increase, that he be cured if he fall into disease, that the loss of strength be repaired and as concerning the common wealth, that magistracy do still continued, by whose authority and empire it be governed: lastly that by lawful propagation of children he conserve himself and mankind. All which things for that it appeareth are found by a correspondence of similitude in the spiritual life of the soul, thereon may be gathered easily and fitly the number of seven sacraments The first sacrament is 
Aug. lib. 1 de peccator merit cap. 16 Aug●tra. 108. in joan. Luc. 24. Aug. l. 2. cont. Pe●●l ca 104. Quod quidem in genete signacu●orsi Sacrosanctum est si cut ipse Baptismus. johan. 6. jacob 5. Aug. l. de peecato original c. 34.  baptism, as it were the door of the rest: wherein we are borne again to Christ. Than followeth Confirmation, by whose virtue is brought to pass, that we be increased and fortified with divine grace. For as witnesseth S. Augustine when the Apostles were baptized, our lord said unto them: sit you in the cirtie, until you be invested with virtue from above. Than is there the Eucharist, wherewith as with heavenly food our spirit is truly fostered and sustained. For of that sacrament is spoken by our Saviour: My flesh is truly meat, and my blood is truly drink. In the fourth place is penance, by whose force health lost is recovered, after the wound of sin received. After this is numbered extreme unction, whereby the relics of sins are taken away, and the virtues of the soul are refreshed. For S. james speaking of this sacrament witnesseth: If he be in sins, the shall be forgiven him. Order doth follow, by which power is given perpetually to exercise and execute the public ministries of the sacraments and holy functions. Last of all is Matrimony, that by the lawful and holy conjunction of man and woman children may be engendered, and religiously brought up to the worship of God, and conservation of mankind.] So that divine Catechism from the sacred word of God, and apt congruity unto reason, deduceth the number of seven sacraments. 
The virtue of the sacraments. Cóe, Plor. & Tired. Sess. 7. Aug. l. de peccator. meti ca 16. joan. 3. Tit. 3. joan. 36. 2. Tim 2. Matth. vlt▪ Aug. in Psal. 25.   
3. The effect of these sacraments we affirm to be the grace of justification and sanctification, either forgiving sins before committed, or else increasing justice once received. Which verity expresllie is avouched by the scriptures, attributing to the sacraments force of sactification, as terming Baptism a regeneration, a purisication: the holy Eucharist a spiritual repast of the soul: Imposition of hands the impression of grace: Penance remission of sins. Which effect of justice and sanctity although it require as necessatie the disposition of faith, and sorrow in them which receive the sacrament yet the efficiency and causality of that iustifiying grace is to be surrendered entirely to the Sacraments, as instruments of God his mercy, and omnipotency; and also as the vessels that contain in them the worth of Christ his merits and passion, instituted and sanctified by our saviour to that effect of our justification. Nevertheless to the material element of the Sacrament, as to water, to oil, to words of the priest, or imposition of hands, do we not attribute so much, as if they could of their proper abilities, and natural sources produce such grace or sanctity, but only accounting of their virtue as in the hands of God principal agent, as his instruments raised to so sovereign and heavenly an operation, as once was a 
joan 9  a piece of mire by the fingers of four saviour Christ enabled to restore sight to a blind person. To which power of God, appropriated to the holy ghost, in the operation of a sacrament, hath access a moral kind of dignity and value imparted unto it by the appointance and ordinance of our Christ, and also by he ministration thereof by himself as chief officer, when the priest his substitute perfecteth the same: The effect of cu●ing man his soul sayeth our doctor Midleton a famous clerk in school 
Richard in. 4 d. 1. q. 3 D. Tho. 3 q. 62. are 3 l 4. cont. Gent. c. 55. Scotus in. 4. D. 2. q. 11.  divinity, is by the sacraments as by certain instruments of God his mercy, and by the passion of Christ, as 'cause meritorious, also by God as 'cause efsicient. And generally, as teacheth Scotus, the blessed Trinity hath determined to bestow no help of grace to man since Adam his fall, but only for the merits of Christ his passion, offering himself upon the cross. Wherhfore considering and pondering the virtue and power of any Sacrament to the effect of justification, we must behold it as instituted by our saviour, as purchased by his precious blood, as executed by his function of preishood and supreme Pastotshipp. He it is, that baptizeth in the holy ghost St. Augustine expoundeth 
joan. 7.  that place to such tenor of sense, as if it were avouched, that the Sacrament did sanctify the receiver not in worth of the outward action of the priest, but in respect of Christ his merits operating in the same, and applied by the Sacrament to the souls of men. Whereupon the Sacrament doth sanctify in as much aas dignified, elevated by the merits of Christ, and his divine institution: in that he hath bought by sodeare a purchase the assistance of his father's power, that it, as principal agent, at the ministery of the Sacrament, and presence of due disposition in him to whom it is imparted, should infallibly effect and 'cause the grace of justification. The sacrament, 
D. Thomas 3. par. q. 62 ar. 4 ●d 3. at 6 l 40 cót. Gent. c. 15.  sayeth S. Thomas attaineth a spiritual virtue by the benefiction of Christ, and application of the minister to the use of the sacrament. The sacraments of the church especially have virtue derived from the passion of Christ: which virtue in a certain sort is coupled to us by the receiviuge of the Sacraments.  
4. The Protestanter, an in his erroneous opinion he doth evacuate all power and 
The number of sacrament dininished by the Protestanter & also their virtue impaired. Calu l 4. Inst c 14. Beza. li. de re sacrament.  faculty of the sacrament, so in his presumptuous hope doth he expect and attend grace not by the designed means thereof; as if in deceit he should look for water not at the cock or pipe, but from out the firm ground, whence no issue or source thereof is possible to be obtained. From the number of seven he cutteth of five: and will only admit two; that is Baptism, and the supper. Than in general he pronounceth of a sacrament, as to be only an extern ceremony ordained by a similitude or representation to stir up man his faith in the promises of Christ: as when one believeth at the view of Baptism, that as water purifieth the body, so doth Christ the soul: at the sight of the supper apprehending, that as bread freedeth the body, so doth Christ nourish the soul. And that they may seem to make something of nothing, and more of a Sacrament then of bore picture and similitude, they say, that they are appointed by Christ also to confirm our faith, and not only as objects to provoke the same. Wherhfore they allow of this knide of process and consequence 
Sacraments are seals tied to the word according to the Protestants.  for the declarance of their doctrine as concerning the use and benefits of the sacraments. First fore they will, that no Sacrament with fruit be administered to any, unlese they before be justified: which justification they repose in the justice of Christ his justice is imputed unto them, and that their sins, remaining yet in essence and nature of offence in the soul, are not to be imputed. Than if it be demanded of them, why they believe such thing, and what assurance thereof they retain, for answer they return the authority of the word so defininge and acertayning them. lastly when it is required, why they make the● recourse to any Sacrament, being already in estate of justification, and the children of almighty God, they say, that sacraments are as it were seals bearing the marckand prince of Christ his passion, annexed and fastened to the word: by acknowledgement whereof they have their faith established and confirmed about the promises of God related in that written word: as we see the instruments and rescriptes of princes gain credit with the beholders by their seals, or peculiar marks and cognisances. And there upon they exclaim against the Catholic efficacy of sacraments, as superstitious yielding that to a creature, as to water, to oyele, to word of a mortal man, remission and pardon of sins, which is the sole and proper work of God: likewise they seek the disgrace of the same colour of exalting and magnifying faith in Christ and his divine merits: ae if not from faith or Christ we expected justification and salvation, but from the creatures outward shapes, and investitures of the sacraments. To this tenor Antichrist for the destruction of Christian hope. 
Number of seven sacraments against the Protestant. Gen. 2.   
5. When the Catholic entereth into consideration of the number of seven sacraments, provided by the mercies of almighty God, and bought for us, by the passion of our saviour, whereby in all estates, and throughout all occasions our lives are guarded by grace from heaven, as we behold hereby our church like paradise watered by the fountain of life Christ jesus diversly flowing in continuance to each part and parcel thereof, so we extol that goodness, and ●etle our hope in good assurance of sundry helps and succouses. To this purpose we hear that religious admonition given us in the Romance Catechism with attention, and with a thankful devotion for so many benefits received: If the number of the sacraments be fitlse explicated, 
Catech. Rom part. 2 q. 11.  that commodity will follow, whereby the people may turn the strength of their souls with greater pertie to praise and commend the singular liberality of almighty God towards us, when as they shall understand more helps to salvation and happy life to be prepared for us from heaven. And as we recount the passages of God his grace unto us more in number, and in seemly conveniency more suitable to all conditions of our lives, so we dilate thereby our hope in more spacious manner, taking hold by sonfrie ways on the goodness of almighty God, and fruits of Christ his passion. But the Protestanter acknowledgeth no such flow from the fountain of grace, no such stream from paradise of the church, or wholesome liquor from the tree of the cross, making reckoning only of two sacraments, so restraining the ample dispense of Christ his merits, and attributing the manifold means of sanctity and salvation to the bore and naked elements of wine and bread. Who them more doth magnify the grace of the gospel, or enlarge by faith the copious commodity that from thence cometh to our souls left any equitable person even in force of reason resolve and determine. We expect grace foving out of heaven fountains, they only out of too; who do more commend Christ his benevolence.  
6. And who seethe not, that the Protestantish doctrine maketh all sacraments unprofitable, 
Use of sacramétes against the Protestat Aug l de peccator merit. c 32. 3●. l 2 c 25 Baptism denied by the Protestant With Manichzus Pelagius.  serving to no necessary commodity of man his soul? First he denieth any sacrament to forgive sins, or to impart grace of justification: whereupon Baptism is rendered by him a vain ceremony, as affirmeth S. Augustin, yea an absurd usance, when it is bestowed upon young children. For if original guilt in them be not pardoned thereby, what utility do they receive from such a sacrament, or why are they baptized? And if a sacrament be only a seal hanging at the word written to confirm men's faiths a bout that word, to what purpose is such seal exhibited to infants, not able to know the signification thereof, and who can not from view of such a mark have any confirmation of actual faith, or more efficaciouslie upon sight thereof apprehend the promises of the gospel? And in deed according to the doctrine of S. Augustin, the Protestant can not in this matter defend himself from flat heresy avouched by Manichaeus, and Pelagius. The manichees sayeth 
Aug l. ●. de peccator mc. ca 32 23. lib 2. con. 2. cp Pelog cap 32 Aug lib 1 de peccar. merchant c 32. Aug. l. a. cont. lulian c 3 & 5 cpist. 38.  S. Augustin affirm the lover of regeneration, that is the water of Baptism, to be supersivous: and with a profane haert affirm at to be unprositahle. Which these heretical adversaries of Baptism join is have the Protestants, making the same of no validity for insantes. For what purpose sayeth S. Augustin is a little child by Baptism conformed to the death of Christ, if he be not poisoned by the bigl●tingh of the serpent! Vherupon he termeth it a paradox portent a sententia●um restrarum, in that the Pelagians maintained that Baptism did not wathe and cleanse the soul: and also sayeth to be a very morkerie, ludibrium to baptize such, as a●e not to be purified thereby from sin. To conclude, the denial of such inward necessary laver by Baptism he styleth an heresy, contrary to scripture, contrary to the church, and preachings of the Apostles. Than are Protestants according to the judgement of S. Augustin heretics, denying the necessity and efficatie of Baptism for infants, making their Baptism profane, scornful, and ridiculous, as did the Manicheans, Pelagians, and Massalians. The Protestant accordeth also with julian the Apostara in his impious enmity against the Sacrament of Baptism. For the said Apostara impugning the common belief of the church in his time, demandeth how the water of Baptism can purify the soul from sin, seeing that in can not help the body of any sore or disease? To whom S. Cirill answereth, that holy Baptism hath been oftentines most effectual also for recure of bodily malady: and that the water thereof, as instrument of the holy 
Ciril. l 7 con. juhan. Matth 3. Clem Alexa. l Paedagogi c 6 Theodo. in Epitome. di vin. dog. Quest 16. super Genesiru.  ghost, as it were with fire, by a vashing kind of essicacie doth consume the spots and stains of sin. Than the Protestant in this affair disclameth the faith of the primarive church, and conspireth traitorlike with the Apostata, and Antichrist. Upon which consideration Clem. Alex. calleth Baptism grace, illumination a perfect laver: and giveth particulatlie a reason of each name? A goodly sacrament so diverted by the Protestantish minister from its natural propietie and importment. And if that sacrament only serve for such enfocement of faith, then before it be imparted the minister is to examine curiously first whither according to human probability or no the child be already in estate of justice, and predestinate heir to the kingdom of heaven: otherwise to yield up the princes whritinge with his seals of arms for title of one to enjoy the inheritance, having no mortal certainty of right such an one hath, is to profane that divine testimony, and according to lot and fortune to dispense the mysteries of Christ his passion. A busy and pretty occupation of the minister to search out what children in his parish are of the number of the elect, and accordingly by the sacrament to witness so much to the people! Shall he not dive deep, that shall discover so high a mystery! But the foolery is too gross and discrible. Than have we by them a plain annullation of Baptism: for if the child be borne of faithful parents, not from Baptism but from generation hath it grace of justification: if not so benefited by propagation, than Baptism neither affordeth him justice, nor establishment in faith, and so is rendered vain and superstitious.  
7. And whereas the Protestanter reckoneth of the sacraments, as of so many seals 
Sacramnetes not seals of the word.  adjoined to the written word, to the end of strengthing faith, he doth it against all substance of reason, and force of evidency. For how can a sacrament be a seal to the word, if from the word itself it take the whole credit & authority, men by no other means knowing the same to be a seal but only for that the word so reporreth? whereas contrariwise it aught to fall out, that the seal of it own nature authentic and credible do afford credence to the writ: as we see that the princes: mage, engraven in wax, by his seal yieldeth a Regal kind of testimony to his letters patents: whereupon seeing that these seals Protestantish of the sacraments have all weight and moment of account from the scriptures themselves, they cannot in verity and proprietic of speech be●●ales of such word, or any ways concur to establish men's faith about the word For what need is there of seal, or use in respect of the word, if this wo●de do auctho●e and credit the seal? rather the word is a confirmation for the seal, & a motive why we are to regard such seal, & in no sort the seal can stand as a corroborative approbation for the word. Than are not the sacrament seals for strengthening of our faith annexed to the word, as the Protestanter doth contend & statue: but needles & bootless additamentes unto the same: it being against the very nature of a seal to take it value and worth from the scripture, to which it is annexed.  
8. Neither is there any probability, that a sacrament according to the esteem of 
No confirmation of 〈◊〉 by a sacrament according to the Protestant.  the Protestant should serve as seal to confirm the faith of the receive: for in that from the written word as warranty there of he affords to the sacrament all ability to that effect, if in him faith begin once to dr●●pe, or needeth repair, to the word aught to be made by him recourse, as to the very sountaine and origen of faith and nourishment thereof: the which word if it be faint and weak to impart desired corroboration to saith, in vain it will be to rear to the sacrament as seal of credit●, which is on ●e derived from the word: and if in the cause there be any distrust of diffidence, or not found the●● efficacy sufficient to work encouragement in faith, what may be expected of the effe●●●▪ the sacram enter being accepted upon the auouchment of the word●? Wherefore it seemeth that the Protestā●●s● seals either are superfluous oriniurious to the word: superfluous if the sole word be competent for the e●gendringe and increasing of faith▪ as moti●e and induce men why unto the sacracrament is ●elded an●e faith of sacred force or utility: injurious, if for the sustenance of faith ●● be deemed not suffcient to read the word, but also to behold the sacrament serving for a peculiar for●fication of faith, to which the sole word is not fully available Wherefore seeing that in virtue and consequence from the doctrine Protestantish sacraments are not seals of the word, or outward means in any peculiar sort fit to confirm faith, it remaineth that they be only external pictures and representa●ons of Christ and his promises: Permodum objects as speaketh B●za, that is 
Be●a lib. de tesac●an.  lineages reca●l●nge them to our cogitations and memories: as when a man beholdeth himself or an other to be baptized he may in that instant think, that as water washeth, so doth the merits of Christ ● his passion purify and justify, if apprehended by faith. And when he himself eateth a●t the communion table, or beholdeth an other so to do▪ he may repute with himself, that as bread nourisheth the body, so doth Christ the soul▪ Of which judgement, if no more be attributed to a sacrament, it followeth first, that it is all one in respect of the use and commodity thereof to receive a sacrament and to view it taken by an other, in that in both cases the outwrde ceremony may stand indifferently for a picture and representation, as it were a resembling object turn our meditations to Christ and his promises equally, & in the same fashion altogheth●r. Than the value of a sacrament and weight must be no greater than is the sight of the sun, and the moonne, of a calf, or of a lamb, all being representations of Christ, and as objects may stir up our meditations to the contemplation of him and his gospel. Donbtles a worthy resolution of the Protestanter to equalise the sun and moon, all pictures and images of Christ, with his sa●rame●tes, vessels of g●ace, & sanctified by his ho●●e institution! Sacraments than are needles ceremonies.  
9 A most vain & f●iuolus pretence of the Protestanter against the Catholic hope reposed in the virtue & efficacy of the sacraments, as if the same abased the price of 
Force of th● sacrament against the Protestant. Aug. lib 2. de great. & pec●. orig. c. 32 l. 13. & 3▪ con. 〈◊〉 ●asi. despir. sanct & de Bapris. Citil. in. ca 3. joan. Act. 2.  Christ his blood & redemption. But in deed all opposittion in this kind hath nothing for head and centre but the gross ignorance of the adversary. It is all one to say that the merits of Christ remit sins, or gi●e grace of justification, and to affirm that the sacraments effect the same. For as sayeth S. Augustine Baptism produceth a new creature Pet ●●r●utem communicatam, by a virtue given by Christ. And S Basill telleth us, that if to such purpose there be in the water of Baptism any faculty. it agreeth to the element, not according to it proper nature, Sed ex Spiritus praeseut●a, Through the presence of the ho●●e ghost: in respect whereof S. Cirill compareth water of Baptism to hot and scaldinge liquour, the which worketh the effect of fire by an external qualit●e from fie● de●●ued: ●o doth the element cause grace not as water, but as sanctified by the fi●r of heaven▪ and Vigour of the ho●●e ghost appearing once in show of fi●●e tongues. Than if the element of water, or words of a priest produce grace & ●em●ssion of sins, they perform such fear as instruments of the holy ghosie, as instituted and ministered by Christ, as precious and well de●eruinge signs before God the father for his metitres in the sacrament, and by the same, his blood effecting grace and sanctification Wherefore if the illation of the Protestanter be of value: to wit that the virtue we attribute to the sacraments doth prejudice the blood of Christ, and his deserts, in that the whole force of the sacrament is implied in that blood, and in those meri●●es applied to the outward ceremony, as organ and instrument, than the blood and his merits are pre●udi● all to themselves, which is most absurd. For grace and pardon is no● given by words as words, but by words as h● lowed by Christ, and for the sake of his merits and blo●d ad●oyned to the words by his own institution: so that what soever is caused by such words is altogether produced by the blood: of Christ, and his divine deserts. And in particular as concerning the words of priestly absolution they import no injury to faith, or the passion of Christ, or his justice: for first such words exact of the person to be assoiled a faith in all the aricles contained in the Apostles creed, and a sufficient faith to justification: then the words in Baptism work justification from original sin●ine, as the Scriptures teach, calling it the word of life, the laver of regeneration, accordingly and as they are expounded by the fathers, without impeachement of Christ his merits, in that the water of Baptism like unto the read sea is purpled with Christ his blood, made instrument thereof, as a familiar element to the holy ghost 
Tit. 3. Tertull. li. de Baptismo.  according to Tertullian: why then should not the words of absolution instrument of the same blood and merits, being given to the Apostles power to remit sins▪ without any injury to the same impart gr●ce and remission of actual misdemeanures? O Protestant, doth Christ his inst●ution disgrace his redemption, and his blood 
Matth. 20.  working in a Sacrament avile itself shed upon the cross? Not, neither now, in 
Heb. 11.  the time of gospel, is there any remission of sins without blood.  
10. And whereas the Catholic hope expecteth a grace of justice to be inherent in 
I●stice inherent is no● against the i● stice of Christ 1. Cor 6. 2. Cor. 5. 2. Pet. ●.  the soul, to wash it from spots of sins, to frame it a new creature, to repair the spirit, to transform men to estate of childshipp with God, and make them participantes in a sort of the divine nature, he hopeth for such grace of justice without in jury to the justice of Christ: in that we receive this justice inherent in the soul from the justice of Christ, as price and cause thereof: it is his justice by donation, and ou●s by possession. Good Protestant, can the effect of Christ his justice work any disgrace to that justice, which is cause thereof? or doth the effect of benevolence impair or impeach the benevolence itself? a gross conceit. We deserve not by natural 
Concil. Trid. sess 6 cap. 7.  carriage, o● any other precedent work, this inherent grace of justice, as is avouched by the council of Trent We have it freely from the justice of Christ, as his merciful ben●fi●t, yet our grace and ●r●amente. Protestan, if inherent justice and sancti●ie do diminish or de●●e the justice of Christ, than we having inherent virtues, as that of chastit●e, of repentance, o● faith, hope, and charity, from that justice in Christ in regard of these inherent good qualities we diminish the justice of Christ: which is a sotterie, and a mere asinarie to affirm. Therefore the Prot●sta●ters accusation in this point under pretence of magnifying the justice of Christ, ex luding inherent justice. & ●. pro●inge it averred by us, is nothing else but a m●●●cious and unlearned cosenadge of the poor common people, not grounded ●pon ●nie ●eason o● knowledge. 
Aug in Psalm 85. acknoledgeth inher●● i●stice by Baptism.  But contrariwise it is a flat denmill of the 〈◊〉 of Christ, of all virtue in it, and of all benefit received from it, to thinck●w●th the protestant, that man is just formally by the justice of Christ: for in deed so no man can be tru●●e just, no more then omnipotent by his omnipotency, innocent by his innocence, redemptive for the whole world, if his omnipotency, innocency, and redemp●on were to him imputed. A good●ie grace of justification to be only so in imagination, and falsity of fact, in that, with that justice imputative may consist all manner of sins paste, being not thereby expulsed, or any actual crime whatsoever, as it did in David an adulterer and a murderer: These, these are they that magnify Christ, whilst they sound the trumpet before the devil. But of this matter in the third pat more amply shall we discourse.  
11. But I marvel at the impudency of Protestantish hypocrisy in this point, 
The pretogative of the Gospel before the la Heb 8. 10. johan 1. Aug. lib. 5. de Baptism ca 9 & 10. 15. de unit ecclesi●● 21▪ Tra. 4. & 5. in johan▪ c. ● Baptismus domini & Baptismus s●●ui. S. Cir. l. 8 count. I●lian. prefer ●eth the holy eucharist before manna as Christ ●s to be preferred before Moses. So also l. 3. in johan. c. 37. Tertullian lib. de Baptis. more. c. 4. Damascen. l. 4. c. 5. C● hieresol ●ar●ch. my. ●.  making resemblance as if the Gospel preached according to tenor of their doctrine did much amplify and extol the grace of Christ▪ and his merit: seeing that, whereas Catholics give that precedency and excellen●●e to the Sacraments of the new law, in comparison ●f the ancient mysteries in the synagogue, as are according to the Apostle to be surrendered to the body in regard of the shadow, to the verity in reckoning of the figure. So S. Augustin avoucheth the Baptism of S. John in hope and expectation to have remitted sins, the which in deed and performance were to be forgiven only in the Baptism of Christ. [It was not one and the self same Baptism, which was given by shone, and by Paul.] On the other side the Protestant is in effect so impious against the Gospel, and author thereof Christ, that by his doctrine the one is as valevable as the other, as sacred and operative for grace and iustificasion. Yea in the balance of his trial the Sacraments of the old law are to be perferred: for who seethe not, that manna, the food of angels, and type of our Eucharist, in all respects is better than a crust of bread: unless by the Protestantish calculation a baker and a minister be to be preferred before an angel, and the oven before heaven? what advantage ●hen for the Gospel by Christ to lose angels of the old law, and to gaigne ministers and bakers of the new: to be deprived of a shining heaven in the synagogue, and to make a purchaceof a smoky furnace for the Gospel! Is this the fruit and splendour of the cross! Thus to steal a goose, and stick dowen a feather!   

The Catholic hope relying on the works of virtue, as satisfaction through the grace of Christ, ●nd also on the value of indulgen●es, dispensed by the princes of the church for remission of temporal penalties, is most● sure, Christian, and comfortable: whereas the Protestant in his vain hope of salvation rejecting the one and the other assistance, suuarueth from the direction and benefit of the cross, and redemption by our saviour Christ.  
CHAPTER. XXXIIII.  
SUCH is the malice and deformity of sin, and by commission thereof so great 
Temporal pain due to sin after justification. Proterea de quibusdam t●poralibus paenis, quae in hac vi●a peccan●●bns irro gantur, eye quorn peccata detinentur ne reseruentur in finem, ait Apostolus, si enim nosipsos iudicaremus, a domino non ●udicaremu●. Aug. ●nc. c. 66 Gen 2. Rom. 5. 1 Cor. 15. Num. 14 20. Psal. 98. 2 Reg 24.  ham inflicted on the offeudour, that ordinarily the offence, although remitted and abolished from cut the soul by the grace of justification, yet is still therein a remainder of debt, as yuou●heth S Augustin import●nge a just deseru●nge to be punished temporally, either in this life, or in the other to come. Which manner of God his justice hath passed against many sins, as is recorded in holy w●i●t: for in respect of original guilt, when to our first parents it was after repentance assoiled, and also is now pardoned in us through baptism, is found nevertheless this desert and obligation for endurance of some transitory castigation: in that they were, and we are subject thereupon to calamitise of sickness, and death, of labour, and travail, of hunger, and thirst, although expiation of that sin in Christ be already performed. So also that offence being forgiven of murmuration in the people of Ifraell, yet by the judgement of God they suffered many disasters, an● namely by decree of his providence were excluded from entry into the land of promise. All you which have murmured from the adge of ●wen●ie years and upwards, and have murmured against me, shall not enter that land, upon which I have list up my hand, that therein I might make you to devil. Ho●●e David his crime was a pattern and precedent of God his just revenge temporal upon offenders: for although justified by an hearty sorrow and charity, was notwithstanding punished by mortality of his army, and death of his dearest child. This pain therefore of temporal harm we Catholics hope to satisfy for, and clearly to avoid, by certain works of virtue, performed in the estate of justice, and sanctificaton. Of which perfection and weight of holy endeavour speaketh the Apostle saying: If we would iudgeour selves, we shoul● not be judged: that is, in us there woul● be no cause of punishment, if we by penal works of satisfaction, should censure and chastise ourselves: in which thing being negligent, We are punished by 
1 Cor. ●1. Cip. l 1. cp 4.  God, that we be not ●●nned with this world. Which distinction and differency of behaviour thus S Cyprian doth recount: It is one thing to eupecte forgiveness, and an other to co●● to glory: one thing for a man cast into pr●son not to go from then●e until he hath paid the last ●arthinge, and an other thing forth with to re●eiue the reward: one thing to be a 〈◊〉 by the long grief of punishment for sins, & lo●ge to be purged insi●r, another thing by sufferance to have purged all sins: so to ●nclude it is one thing to depend on the sentence of ou● lord a●t the day of judgement, and other thing strait way to be crowned by our lord. Also S. Augustine entreating of the mitigation or satisfaction for temporal pains in such, which endure them in purgatory, through the good works of pity of the living, thus speaketh: By the prays of the holy church the wholesome sacrifice, and almose, 
Aug. ser. 32. de verbis Apost. l. de cura promort. A distinction of satisfaction  which arr bestowed for their souls, it is no doubt, but that the departed are much helped, to the end that our lord do deal with them more mercifully, than their sins do deserve.  
2. But that it may particularly be understood, in what sense we approve satisfaction by works, we may distinguish three kinds thereof; the one of preparement and disposition, the other of justification, and the third of pardon from temporal penalties. Man satisfieth in the first fort through the grace of Christ, when being in the estate of damnation through mortal sin, and void of all justice, according to God his commendement and appointance disposeth himself to justification by faith, hope, charity, repentance: which offices accomplished by him in Christ jesus, he may besayde to have performed that, which he was bound to do, to the end he might attain to justification, and so satisfieth the law of almighty God. The second manner of satisfaction consisting of grace justifying, cleansing from sin, and driving away from the soul all guilt or debt of eternal damnation, is not effected formally by any work of man, but by an inherent quality of grace powered into the soul by the holy ghost, altoghether freely for the merits of our saviour, and not 
Con. ●ri. se. ●●  deserved by the precedent works of disposition, as hath been related out of the Council of Trent. The third and last form of satisfaction persupposeth the party satisfying to be all ready justified, purified from the spot of sin, and is employed in a virtuous action, caused by the Grace of Christ, and dignified by his justice in man, as the endeavour of the child of God, paying by way of merit and desert for the residue of temporal pains, ordinarily remaining after justification: and of this sort do we now particularly and presently entreat. Nevertheless although according to the common course of justification we affirm to be found in the justified a debt and obligation for some temporal pain, yet do we not exclude the total and entire remission in some case from all such temporal pain from the effect of justification itself: in that after sin a man may so earnestly by repentance detest the same, and so ardently through charity love almighty God, that thereby not only the crime shall be extinguished and exiled, but with it also what soever debt or cause of any temporal affliction: as in the case of martyrdom and Baptism to fall out Catholics 
D. Thom. l. 4. con. Gen●. c. 72.  do generally define.  
3. And as the just partly by the high degree of their repentance going before 
Satisfaction of abundance by grace.  justification, partly through their excellent qualities, and singular perfections of virtues after that happy estate, increase in merit for themselves, so also do they exceed in deserts of satisfaction some times far surpassing their own offences. The which satisfactions proceeding from the satisfaction of Christ, and thereunto being add joined, sum ●p an infinite treasure for others great commodity: the application of which made by the church, we term indulgences or pardons, in virtue whereof temporal pains are diminished, or taken away from those, on whom they are bestowed: so that the Catholic hope for expiation and forgiveness of these temporal detrimentes by indulgences, is derived from the merits of Christ, and of his saints. In which meaning the Apostle S. Paul, and that in the person of Christ, that is as Apostle and Bishop, bestowed on a person offendant indulgence: that is relaxation from his penance imposed him: and so also remission of that temporal pain he was to endure: for otherwise it had been no benefit to absolve him from his penance enjoined, and to leave him still to the demeritt of his sin, that is to temporal pain to be inflicted upon him by God either in this world, or in purgatory: and therefore the Apostle taking from him the obligation to perform his penance, did bestow on him indulgence to clear and free him also from the debt of that temporal loss and harm, the which otherwise he was to endure. To whom you have pardoned any thing, 
2. Cor. ●.  I also have done the same: approving the fact of their indulgence and remission. And that from ●he wo●de of God such practice doth arise, we may gather it by the use of the primitive church: as calling to mind what Tertullian recounteth, to wit, that gr●●uous offe● lo●s in that adge, as deniers of their faith having great and long penances ●●●g●ed them by their pastors, made resort to the saints and appointed martyrs in p●●son, and from them took the benefi●t of indulgences and pardon: 
Tertul. lib ad ●at●. C●pt epist 11. Can. ●. & 12.  Which peace sayeth he they not having from the church, were accustomed to desire of the martyr in pr●son. Likewise that great Nicen Council authorized the use and dispensasition of indulgences in the primitive church: wherein it is enacted, that the Bishop perceiving great alacrity and good will in the penitent to perform his penance, may relax the same, and give him indulgence.  
4. The Protestanter, in pretence as if he would sane make the world believe, for 
The Protest●tis●● denial of satisfaction and indulg●●ces.  the magnifying of justice and remission of sins by Christ, defineth absolutely, that when a man believeth that his sins be not imputed unto him, that thereby he is not only freed from stain of crime, and demeritt of eternal damnation, but also delivered from all debt or obligation to sustain any temporal punishment from God either in this life, or else where: accusing the Catholic, as if he impaired justice by 
1. joan. 2.  Christ, accounting it not able to abolish that desert of temporal affliction. And hereupon taketh occasion of an hot and eager declamation against the Catholic hope, relying on man his works, as his satisfaction, as if not true, that which is affirmed in holy scriptures, to wit, that Christ his merities are our satisfactions: and also as if satisfaction by Christ were not competently available for us to attain eternal salvation, but that it needeth the adjointure and fellowship of our satisfaction: men as they speak redeeming and saving themselves, trusting and reposing confidence in their proper satisfactio●s And that they may more effectually cousin and deceive the common people, he doth not insi●e in particular upon satisfaction for temporal penalties, remaining after justification, but in general terms disputeth against satisfaction by man his work: as if we maintained that satisfaction for sins were absolutely contrived by the action of a sinner, and not through the merits of our Redeemer Christ.  
5. As concerning the Catholic hope fastened to the worth and value of indulgences, 
Indulgences satisfactory caluminated by the Protestanter.  first with calumniation entereth the Protestant into argument against us, affirming, that we teach the Bishop of Rome may give any man licence to commit any sin whatsoever without loss or detriment, and impart such absolution for money, or favour, to attempt any villainy without ghostly annoy. Than maintaining no desere of temporal pain to abide after justification; and also that in the Saints no works of virtues are meritorius or satisfactorious, being in the account of God rather deadly sins, and displeasing actions, thereupon he concludeth, to be no such treasure of indulgences in the church: with disgrace also to Christ affirming the Catholic practice to be; as if Christ were not sufficient for our full ransom, justification, purification, and salvation, without access of indulgences, drawn and forced from the endeavours of mortal men.  
6. That we may begin with the doctrine of satisfaction, we are to note first the 
Hypocrisy of the Protestant.  marckable and palpable hypocrisy in the Antichristian Protestanter. He is of opinion, that the grace of justification doth not exclude or expulse from out the soul any guilt, odious nature or essence of sin: only procuring, that although remaining, it be not imputed. So that after justification formally a man by denomination and true inherency of quality, if before such justification by his fact he was an adulterer, a thief, an infidel, he is such an one in the view of God, and truth of the thing it self, still detestable to his judgement, and indeed worthy of eternal damnation: as if the prince should forgive an offence to a traitor, exempting him from penalty due there unto, he should not thereby abetter him, or make him not worthy of death and capital sentence: so God, as the Protestant deuineth, taketh not away the spots and stains of sins by justification, but only not imputeth them to punishment, which in deed are punisheable and disgracious in his sight. Which thing although it be an extreme injury to the grace of Christ, and his justice, who is said to wash and bath, to cleanse and ●inse his children in his own precious blood; yet they cry a 
Apoc. 1. Tit. 3.  main against us for admitting the only debt of some temporal pain to abide with the grace of justification: as if we sought thereby impeachment to that justice and sanctification. O blind malice accompanied with found and loathsome error!  
7. Let therefore the Protestanter know, that our belief about satisfaction for 
What belongeth to a work of satisfaction.  temporal pains left behind in debt, as effect of sins remitted, to recommend rather and extol the grace of Christ, and his merciful goodness. Wherhfore we teach, such works, as are to that end satisfactory, first to be good employmentes of their own objects and circumstances, conformable to faith and reason: then to suppose the grace of justification, childshipp with God, and remission of sins: lastly to proceed from the actual grace of the holy ghost, as from his vocations and inspirations, with which our w●lles do cooperate to the obedience towards the law of God and nature, to the performance of endeavours agreeable to heavenly institutions. If then the force and virtue satisfactory in any good action have issue from the grace of Christ, as from grace of justification, from grace of actual provocation, how may such operative satisfactions derogate from grace, cause and fountain of all value therein contained? It is the Protestanter that defameth and debaseth the grace of Christ, as being not of force to make the good works of justified persons to be satisfactory for any purpose and commodity: but rather to remain in verity and substance mortal and deadly sins and displeasant altogether unto almighty God. But Christ affirmeth sayeth he, that he is our satisfaction, where is then place for the satisfaction of man? just: rather should he conclude, where is then room for the wit of a Protestant? Christ is our satisfaction: I admit it is then this a good consequence in the Protestantish Theology, that man must lie idle and not work his 
Phil. 3.  ow●e salvation, yea that he may commit any villainy, and believe it not to be imputed for the sake only of satisfaction in Christ apprehended by the faith of a knave? Than needeth he not to satisfy God his law, disposing himself to justification by faith, hope, charity, repentance, for fear of injury against Christ his satisfaction. Not, brutish heretic, such illation is not Christian, but epicurean and abominable. Christ therefore is our satisfaction, because from the treasury of his merit●es we receive 
Christ is our satisfaction.  grace to prepare ourselves to justification, as we aught to do: and after the same to punish the flesh, and perform other exercises of virtue for satisfaction of such pains, as otherwise temporally we were to sustain. Our satisfaction ●s a beam gleaminge from the sun of Christ h●s satisfaction, a sparkle flying from the furnace of his redemption, an effect of his desert coloured and graced with h●s own precious blood, and value thereof. We hope therefore to satisfy for our sins first by preparement of f●i●h, hope, charity, & repentance, as requisite dispositions of good works, to receive the grace of justification. We hope after justification to redeem temporal debts of penalties, and to satisfy for them in the operations of restraining and rigorous ver●ue; Yet our hope in this is resolved finally into the head of Christ our saviour his grace and satisfaction; by which we perform or duties and satisfy: so that all the power of our hope is fixed in confidence to the grace of our saviour Christ, & to his satisfaction. Is it then to injury and impair the same?  
8. Moreover our hope Catholic, directed to works of satisfaction, procure in 
Satisfaction procureth virtue. Cris. hom. 10 ad pop Epipha. l. 1. c. 15. Te●t. l. de pae.  us sundry and divers employmentes in virtue, the which especially serve to punish, mortify and restrain carnality, to dry up that humour of concupiscence, to cool the heat and ●age of sensuality: as by fasting, by prayer, by watching, and such holy afflictions, as termeth them S john Crisostome, and S. Epiphanius: whereas neglect of satisfaction in the Protestanter omitteth such sacred endeavours, contenting himself with an apprehension of Christ his justice by faith: he in the mean season assured of his proper and personal innocency, free from fault or penalty in licentiousness, yea in the act of any sin, by Christ his satisfaction only believing to have patronadge and security of salvation. A loathsome hope.  
9 For the benfitt of indulgences accepted of, & acknowledged by the Catholic, the Protestanter showeth himself extremely either ignorant, or malicious, in such base and and gross terms of error traducing our doctrine. He preacheth to the people for their cozenage, that the Catholic thinketh for a piece of money bestowed on the Sea of Room, or for favour of the Pop●, to obtain a frank & free grant 
hastings warn word.  to have all sins passed forgiven him: Yea and moor, a patent licence under his hand and seal to commit for the time to come what outradge he may design. Than speaketh he in good earnest, that Christian justice as it taketh away the spot of sin, so doth it exclude generally demerit of pain, and therefore cancelleth the use of Indulgences to that effect as superfluous and superstitious. Likewise in that all works of Saints in this life, were of no other condition then of mortal sins, devoid of merit, or satisfaction for themselves, as he defineth, thereupon inference by him is made of the invalidity of Indulgences, with high prejudice by them wrought against the satisfaction of our saviour Christ.  
10. First we return his slander by true and just excuse upon his own face, and 
The devils Indulgences given by the Protestants.  tell him roundly, that we affirm Indulgences only to be available for the remission of temporal pains in those, the which before are justified by hope, Charity, repentance, the holy Ghost by his justice powered into their souls, and therein inhabiting. Not it is the Protestant that is large in his indulgences, and giveth his doole from the Pulpit, as if he were to feed swine at the trofhe, and not Christian men in the Church. It is the Protestant that teacheth the law of God and nature to be impossible, & so to 
Dies caniculares Protestantici. The dog days.  be no fault in the breach thereof: it is the Protestant that assureth the faithful from all spiritual annoy, although outwardly he deny his faith, injury violently his neighbour by stealth, robbery & rapine, adultery or prodition: or finally of he misdemeane himself by any crime nominable, although abominable: it is the Protestant that maketh all works of man good and bad, deadly and mortal sins; and driving away the love of virtue; bringeth in either a laisye sabothe, or a licentious liberty. It is the Protestant that alloweth a man many wives alive at once after the Turchish porchery. It is the Protestant that freeth the conscience from bond, to observe any law of Church or country. These, these, are the black indulgences of him, and blessings of the devil, not to be purchased by money at Rome or Jerusalem, but to be gained every whereby disport and freedom of the Gospel, by a pretty pleasant faith, turning all things into nothing, and procuring in all that nothing hurt or annoy: Fie, Fie upon this dunghill of Genevian indulgences.  
11. Than I inform him▪ that our treasury of Indulgences doth rather magnify 
Indulgences make for the exaltation of the Cross.  and extol the merits of Christ in his Saints. It is therefore a worthy effect of our saviour his passion, that through virtue thereof such copious grace should flo● unto the holy society of his blessed, that their works thereby are rendered good, meritotiouse and satisfactorious, in that such excellency of desert, redoundeth from the same. Moreover, this superaboundance of virtue and dignity in the good works of Christ his servants, is implied in the communion of Saintes, which we are to believe as article of our faith, by means whereof, as teacheth the Roman Catechism, 
Catec Rom. part. 2. quest. 61.  the good endeavours of God his servants, do not avail only for their own proper and private commodity, but also, for the general emolument ofall, who are members of Christ as head, and are parts of one body, as members; that is of his Church: amongst which mutual and reciptocall utilities The offices of satisfaction are to be esteemed Wherein likewise is declared the goodness of almighty God towards man 
Pauli● ep. 4. ad Sevetum Col 3. c. 1. Orig. ho. 24.  kind, not only ordaining satisfaction, expiation, and salvation of us, by his own self, and his peculiar fact, but also providing, that one man doth concur in that sort to the advantage and abet rance of an other, as being means through Christ of justification, of satisfaction: an example appeareing in the prayers of S. Stephen, serving and availinge to the salvation of S. Paul as well remarked Paul●●us. Whe 〈…〉 S Paul reputed his labours as beneficial to the whole church & not only of con 〈…〉 to himself: [I lo rejoice in my sufferings for you, & do accomplish though 〈…〉, whi●h are wanting to the passions of Christ in my own flesh for this body, that is his church.] To which meaning, thus Orige: [Consider whether perhaps, as our 〈◊〉 and saviour as lamb, was l●dd to the slaughter, and offered up as sacrifice of the altar hath remitted the sins of the whole world, so perchance the blood of the rest of just person's hath been poured out in some par●e, for the expiation of the people.] No doubt, this doth rather stand with the greatness and perfect on of redemption by Christ, then to affirm with the Protestants, that the grace of Christ produceth no other virtue, in the just then mortal sins, void of all price of merit, of satisfaction or acceptation with his heavenly father. Than is the hope of the Protestants antichristian, so dep●auin●e the favour and efficacy of Christ his grace, so denying openly the communion of Saints, and all mutual charity and benefit among the children of salvation.   

As the divine virtue hope attendeth grace of God through Christ our saviour derived and applied in sundry sort of causes in mediation, so doth it in particular expect such grace, supplication being made to the saints, as well living on earth, as blessed in heaven: whereas erroniouslie the hope Protestantish censuring such recourse to saints, as injurious to Christ, abolisheth these convenient means of our heavenly benediction.  
CHAPTER. XXXV.  
THERE be too especial offices, which we Catholics perform towards the 
Catholic respect done to saints.  Saints of God; the one consisting of a reverence and worship we impart unto them, as to his friends, to chosen vessels of his grace and honour, and peculiar instruments of the holy Ghost for the happy atchivement of virtue, victorious conquest over sin and iniquity. The other importeth our devout and pious supplication we make unto them, that by their intercession and great savour they have with almighty God, we may obtain heavenly benediction and succourse here in this life, end after it once expired, eternal felicity with them in the other. Of the former we are to entreat in the for the part, of the latter, in this present Chapter and discourse.  
2. Wherhfore upon conceit that we frame of the excellency and worthienesse 
Dignity in the saints cause of our prayers.  in God his Saints, as reputing them so entirely beloved of him, and blessd●●n all fpituall abundance, we resolve catholicly, both to honour that venerabilitie in them, & also to make them our patrons, they being in the virtue of the same potent with almighty God as his faithful friends: his obedient children, and rich inheritors of his heavenly provision, deeming the intercessions of saints to be certain convenient means of our hope, for the derivall of grace to our souls, although the fountain thereof springe from the goodness of God & merits of our saviour Christ. The 
S Augu lib 5. de B. pusmo c. 17. 〈◊〉 to be helped by. S Ciptian his prayers. He●. 12. Ephes. 2. Galat. 4. Apo. 5. Tob 12. Zach. 2. Apo. 8. ●●r. Ale ●li. 5. cont. julian. avoucheth that Saints have great power with God.  Saints therefore, as members of the triumphant Church, in that they are by great charity of themselves inclined to procure us good, & do desire the same most earnestly, in that respect, as speaketh the Apostle, heaven being our kind mother, & spiritual Jerusalem, we may conclude that they interpose betwixt our demer●●tes, and God his justice, their intercessiions as beloved of God, and dear brethren of our common Christian society. Therefore S. john, in his Revelations, beheld the Elders adoring before the Throne of God, and to have had golden cruetts in their hands, of sweet odours, which be the prayers of the 〈◊〉. And that the Angels tender up prayers for us here warfairing on earth, is evident expressly out of holy scriptures: why then should not the sacred spirits of the saints, more coniounctly members of our church, also towards us perform the same office of piety, and of their charitable assistance? Practise of the primitive church, and testimonies of the most famous Doctors and Pastors thereof witness the same. S. Gregory Naziansen speaking of the soul of his father departed, sayeth: Now is he more profitable to us by his prayers, then before by his learning, by how much he is nearer to God having deposed his corporal bonds. Buy silla as speaketh S. Hierom to Paulina prayeth now to God for aid; for the remission of my sins. Therefore in faith of our saviour Christ, and in veve of his virtues and merits found and discovered by us in the saints, we make access unto them, humbly and religiously desiring their holy intercession; and hope hereby to find at God his hand mercy and great commodity. Patiented job was thus advertised in his perplexity. Call 
job. 5.  therefore if there be any to return the answer, and convert thyself to some of the saints: wishing him to make prayer and petition to the Angels, as understandeth that place S. Angustin, conformable to the fact of the patriarch jacob in his benedictionall prayer: The Angel, which hath delivered me form all evils, bless these chlldrens Remember oh lord paid 
Annot. in job Gen. 48.  Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, interposeing their favour and intercession for the expiation of the people. Prayers offered to saints on earth, were exhibited by the Apopostle S. Paul: I desire you brethren, that with God you will. help me by your prayers. S, 
Rom. 15. Augu quost. 149. ●n Exod.  Augustin to this tenor of doctrine thus discourseth: we are admonished then, when our misdesertes are heavy unto us, and may us not to be beloved of alimightie God, that we may be eased with him by their merits, whom he doth love. S. Basill thus counseleth those, which 
Basil. orat. in 40. martyr.  are pressed with any calamity: let them fly to these saints: They that are in mirth, let them also pray unto them: these that they may be sheelded from evil, and those that they may continued in prosperity. S. Chrisostom doth recount the relligiouse regard of Saints in the 
Chri. hom de adorate. eat narum.  primitive chursh: He that is reu●sled in purple cometh hither to embrace their sepulchres, that they may pray to God for him: so that no we one crowned with a diadem, prayeth unto a Tentmaker, and a Fisher, as his protectors The Angels sayeth S. Ambrose are to be desired for us, 
Ambr. lib. de vidivis.  who are given us for our defence. The martyrs are to be desired, whose patronage we may seem to challenge by the pledge of their bodies. This than was the usance of the primitive church allowed by the fathers, who knew full well, that such rite and custom did not in an●e sort prejudice the merits of our saviour Christ, or detract any glory from the splendour of his Gospel.  
3. The Protestant here advanceth himself upon the stage in fell raged and despite 
Saints by the Protestant debased & in them Christ, their master.  against the Saints of God, together with a gross, rude & material conceit of an ignorant spirit emboldened thereunto. First as concerning the bliss of Saints, he by opinion excludeth them out of the court of heaven, as only yet attendants in a certain portche or entry, expecting the coming of Christ at the latter day: so Caluin the arch protestanter. Than as touching their excellency and degree of perfection through virtue & grace, he depraveth them, avouching that all their works in the sight of God were in this life mortal sins, & as a cloth unclean, diversly polluted: yea that so much the more as they exceeded others in the number of good works so did they thereby excel in mortal sins. After this doth he blind & disgrace their understandings & intelligences as it were of so many mouldewarpes in the ground, or bats flying by night about the flames, affirming, that they have no knowledge of our prayers and devotions. Lastly in all eagerness of spirit doth he condemn and impugn their intercession and mediation for us with God as extremely injurious to Christ his passion, to our Redeemer, the only mediator for man kind, as speaketh the Apostle. In which heat to the common people he vampeth out the breath of a canicular 
2. Tim. ●.  rhetorician, speaking no thing but cools and fire against our Catholic faith & confidence. The Romans', sayeth he, look not for salvation by Christ jesus, but by Peter and Paul, by Mary and Thecla: they regard these as mediators, and not the sufficience of our sole mediator and saviour Christ. And whereas they should have recourse unto Christ, he moreover mercifully invitinge them to that piety towards his own person, as it seemeth, in distrust of his redemption, they occupy themselves in the invocation of saints, yea and sometimes forgetful of his blood demand salvation of God as the price of the blood of some Saint of their own estimation, fabric and belief. If Christ be ready to yield ear unto our prayers, why do we direct our devotions from so favourable a lord? And if trust and repose in him be abondant for our salvation, to what purpose make we an addition of the Saints intercessions, as supply for the want in the merits of Christ our Redeemer? Can any Saint, who is already copiously rewarded, for what soever he couldin this life deserve, prevail with God, whenas he depriveth in this sort his son Christ of his office of a Redeemer, and becometh himself by usurpation, a saviour, a Redeemer of men their devoted suppliants? This, this is the blaze, the flash, the smoke, the ashes, the vanity and vanishment of their opposition.  
Contiariewise, we Catholics to the glory of Christ, and honour of his Saints 
Saints in bliss.  pronounce them now to be inhabitants in that heavenly and triumphant court, & also to be blessed by the vision of almighty God: which reward of theirs Christ upon the cross promised, and performed it also to the malefactor hangeing by him, a faithful penitent and his holy Confessor. This day shalt thou be with me in paradise: 
Luc. 23. Heb. 12. Apoc. 6. 7.  which is the church, as saith the Apostle, primiti●orum, of those which first believed & lived a right. And of the Saints S. john affirmeth, that they have received their stools, that is life of soul, as companions of the lamb adoring God before his throne. Than Where ●he Heretic defineth, that all the works of the Saints were of no value with God, but rather esteemed as mortal sins, he uttereth a main blasphemy against the children of God, against Christ his divine blood, the wise providence of almighty God reping in the Saints no other fruits thereof then odious facts: against likewise the holy Ghost inspiring into them no other deeds, then loath some facts.  
4. For just and reasonable reprovall of that knowledge which the saints have of 
Saints do know our prayers and desires  our prayers, I see nothing to stand in force, besides the Protestants his own gross and material conceit in the cloud of his own ignorance. Wherefore the veve and aspect we afford unto the saints of our desires and petitions here on earth, is altogether spiritual, intellectual, not sensitive by bodily eye or ear, as the adversary in his rudeness deviseth: not much unlike that contemplation we attribute to the Angels being pure sustances, intellectual and immaterial, booth in sight they have of natural things, as also of our penitential recovery and amendment, at which they joy exceedingly, as is reported in holy writ. To which beholding vision of theirs, it being mental and by understanding, situation of place, as dearness or distance, in respect of the thing so by them seen, is of no import or consideration: for the mind of a man, we know, can as easily and as expressly think of a thing in Constantinople, residing now in London, as if he wear in that city: so than the local separation or sequestration ketwixt us & the Saints, they being above in heaven, we here belooe on earth, doth not in any sort make difficulty, or impeshe their intelligences of our affairs. Wherefore out of warrant from holy scriptures it hath been an opinion, yea a certain faith, that the Angels offerup men's prayers in favourable suit and recomendation unto almighty God: the which office they could not perform, if they knew not men's devotions S. Augustin affirmeth that the Angel Raphael preferred up to God that work of merit in Toby, whilst charitably he buried the dead: The which, saith he so pleased God, that the oblation thereof, by the Archangel 
Aug. ser 226. cp● 120. Bern. serm 7. in Cantic.  Raphaell, did ascend to the heavenly majesty: so likewise S. Bernard [we believe the holy Angels to be by them which pray, to offer up unto God their prayers and voves of such men.] As concerning the Saints, they also being puer spirit's, why should not they in like manner have knowledge of our inward affections, as well as the Angels, feing that neither the one nor tother can arrive to the same of themselves, but only by particular revelation and manifestation from God? And the Saints being of our own nature, and in same sort are like unto the Angels, as teacheth our Saviour, if 
Matth. 22.  not more than they, why not equally interested in the good estate of the church militant on earth, and as speaketh S. Hierom de sua salute securi, de nostra solum: secure for 
Hiero. l 1. count. Vigil. Ciptian de mortal. 4. Reg. 5.  their own salvation, and careful for ours? Wherhfore if the prophets living by a peculiar illumination from God had intelligence of diverse secrets, as Heliseus beheld a far of in spirit, the fact of his servant Gezei, takeinge a reward of Naaman unlaufullie, and told him of it, at his return, why should not the Saints of God in that light of glory and heaven, have greater force to see and pirceive human affairs? How much more saith S. Augustin shall they in this quality abound, when God shallbe all in 
Augu in Psal, 120 Con●●●. 43. 109. lib. 22. Ciu cap 29. Aug l. de cu●a p●o mortuis. c. 13. S Aug li 5 de Baptismo ca ●● affirmeth S. Cyprian to be present among men by his charity.  all? Truth it is, that the Saints by their natural abilities can not know what we do here in coverture of hearts consent, but must attain thereunto by the especial power of God. And s. Augustine affirmeth, that if Martyrs do intermeddle in human mat●ers, as hearing, ●r helping any, all to be accomplished per diusnam potentiam, by divine power And although it be granted, that the saints and blessed ●n virtue of the v●sion, wherewith they behold God, as in formality and property of that action, do no● see the secrettes and devotions of me●s hearts on earth, yet not withstanding the revelations they have from God of such objects, seem connatural & d●w consequences and effects of that vision, as a grace and quality of the saints properly belonging to their estates & happiness, in the now participantes of our common nature, and so by order of charity peculiarly affected towards our good their brothers and friends. For in that they be inflamed towards us, in most ardent and perfect charity, and wish importunelie our good to the honour of God, thereupon ●●s convenient and mutable to their estates, that from G●d they receive intelligence of our desires and necessities, as joint members of one absolute chugh▪ & of that society, wherein is practised the communion of saints Moreover th●t the saints have th●● revelation from God, we gather out of the Scriptures, which report ●●at the saints in general pray for us, and that holy 〈◊〉 ha●● made intercession unto them: Also by the universal practice of the faithful in this invocation of saints, allowed by the doctors, and likewise approved by the Greek and Latin church. 
A fooli●● objection, of the Protestant   
5. Surely that which the Protestanter for the contrary pretendeth, although in some colour prevalent with the simple people, no doubt to the judicious is most absurd, slight and ridiculous, making show, as if our intercessions to these saints did equalise them with Christ, or impair his redemption, his prime and full mediation. In proof whereof I frame against them this argument.  
6. The prayers of Angels and saints, which they power out incessantly, are in 
If the saints pray for us we may pray to them  no wise derogatory to the merits or mediatorship of our saviour Christ: therefore neither are derogatine thereunto our desires & petitions, we make unto them to perform the same. The antecedent is manifest, for otherwise the charity of the saints, should be injurious to Christ, and they voluntarily praying for us, usurp the office of Christ. The consequence also is clearly true. For if it be lawful for the saints, to pray unto almighty God in my behalf, and in that office perform no iniur●e 
One saint al●ue may be cause of an other his justification & salvation. fo●●assis enim hic p●aedestinati sunt. ut nostris oratiovibus concedantur, & acc●pia●●●●d●m gratiam qua velin●, & efficiantur electi. A● de dono pers●● cap 22. Omnes marti●es qu● cunillo sunt▪ interpell●t pro nobis Aug. in Psal 8● & 88 One may pray to saints living, therefore also to those in heaven.  to Christ, why is it in me injurious to Christ, and an empeachement of h●s redemption and satisfaction, to require that of them, which they may and do●●ustelie otherwise act themselves? If the Protestant●r do answer, that the unlawfullnesse consisteth in this, that I hereby make them mediators betwixt my own sins, & God his justice, & so point out many mediators, saviours, Redeme●s, whereas there is but one Christ Jesus', & that therefore to him aught equity of faith only to have recourse, he sh●ll but declare to the world his own ignorance: for the saints, in that they pray and intercede for me, make themselves, in a certain kind mediators, that is occasioners and promoters of my good, because in that they pray for me, they think and hope by the favour they have with God, as his children and frenders, to obtain some benefit for me. Wherefore I praying to them, to that teffect, make no more of them, than they of their own charity make of themselves. And I demand no more of them, than they do perform of themselves. Here is no passage for the protestanters' ox, or his ass, or for any thing that is confederate with his blind wrathful heresy. It may be the Protestanter will advertise me, that no Saint can pray for me in particular, or in general for the church, without full presumption of taking upon him the office of Christ, interposing himself as mediator. But then I will thus reply. The prayers of just persons alive, procure no disgrace to the mediation or redemption by Christ: Therefore neither doth the sociable mediation of the saints in heaven cross or reverse the function of ou● saviour Christ. Let my pursy adversary here labour and sweat to bear out a solid satisfaction to the argument, if he can make issue for it. And in deed the very reason is, for that prayers of men here in this life, although mediations and intercessions made on earth by saints, are purchased, and bestowed upon us, by the prime, general, capital, and original mediation of our Saviour Christ upon the cross; and so are secondary mediations working with virtue of that first and chief, as effects thereof: in that God the Father for no other cause hath given us the mutual commodity of prayers, and communion of saints, when one prayeth for an other, then for the desert of Christ who needeth no prayer as remarketh 
Aug l. 2. co●t. parmer. ca 8. Our hope doth not end in the saints, but is resolved into the goodness of almighty God, as principal cause and motive▪ Aug. ●●a. 1. in Ioha●. cap. 1. Et ta●●n n● ipsi mont●● sunt, in quibus Spes nostra ponen●a est. Tra 5. c. 1. No derogation to Christ the prayer of saints on earth or in heaven. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Thess. ●.  S. Augustin; so in like manner, the prayers of the saints, are imparted unto us, as means of our spiritual good and advantage, and as applications of Christ his Repemption, for no other merit or valeve then for the price and worth of the same Redemption, by our saviour Christ, and in no sort misprisable to the same, being only effects thereof, branches sprung ou● of the root of the cross Wherefore either the Protestant must grant us, that the saints in heaven, praying for the church do injury Christ, and against his prerogative advance themselves as our mediators, or else that our prayers to them moving them to voutchafe to be our mediators and intercessors, not to impair, or injury the mediation of our saviour Christ: it being without all sense, that my prayers to them should imply an injury to Christ, when the thing itself▪ for which I pray, done by the saints, doth import no such matter of offence.  
7. secondly I proceed in this argument. It is not any diminishing of Christ his mediation and propitiation that one man alive pray for an other, or that one pray to a Saint alive to pray for him, therefore neither is it disgraceful to our saviour Christ to pray to the saints in heaven for help and benevolence. That one man is to pray for an other in this life, approveth the Apostle, I beseech you, let there be made prayers obsecrations, thanks giving, for all men. And the holy Apostle himself adventuringe upon the dangerous picks, he expected at Rome, desired instantly to be assisted and helped with the prayers of his brethren, saints, and his own devout children. In which case one man in a certain manner is mediator for an other, that is a means & cause of some spiritual good through Christ jesus. For if such commodity were not the effect of their prayers, to what purpose should one desire the prayers of an other? Yet nevertheless the holy Apostle expressly telleth us, that the intercession of one brother for an other, and that in the same kind, the mediation of one for an other, is in no wise opposite to the main and capital mediation by our saviour Christ: concluding his exhortation to mutual prayers with these words, For there is one God and man, the man Christ jesus: the reason is before rehearsed, in that the prayers of the living flow from the merits of Christ, and are effects of the same, workeinge in virtue thereof, Than also is it evident, that our prayers directed to the saints in heaven are not injurious to our saviour Christ, no more then on earth the prayers of S. Stephen were, uttered for saint Paul his conversion. What difference, I pray you, may make a disparity, and hinder the consequence? Is it perhaps difference of place? But how can only place procure that a prayer derogate from Christ here, and not there, only diversity of place considered? Is it not all one whether the Saint, to whem we pray, be in London, in Rome, or in Jerusalem, or in heaven, as concerning the injury enforced upon Christ? Is heaven so odious to a Protestant, or so out of request with Christ, that it only shall disgrace and avile the prayer, the which in earth was by God reputed as good and well pleasing, pious, and meritorious? oh the great asinarie of Germainie, and of the illuminated drols? or else for disparity will they allege, that the saints in heaven are glorified, & not so the mortal saints on earth, & therefore to pray to Saints in heaven is extremely malicious against the cross, & flat idolatry. O the subtility one fineness of the shallow sight of nothing? Are not the saints rather thereby made more amiable to God, more potent and powerable, more glorious, more intelligent, more charitable, reckoning their final effects of his love towards them? Than are their prayers for us thereby rather adorned and graced, then made malapert and sacrilegious. Na, saith the Protestanter, you Romans praying to the saints in heaven, look to be saved by Peter and Paul, by the virgin Marie, and the residue of the Saints, and not by Christ. A pitiful complaint, able certes to make one groan again, if it were not for leaping. I would to God the Protestant would look to be commended by his wits, & then he would soon see how we hope to be saved by the Saints. Good Sir, when you pray to a brother or a sister of yours alive, or to the aged worshipful of the congregation, to intercede for you to God, as that he will by their prayers shield you from temptations, preserve you from sin, finally save your soul, if percase these petitions be in your memorial, when you pray, do not you expect salvation from these your saints, and this your brotherhood? Than in your devotion what is become of Christ jesus? If he be sufficient & abundant for all these graces, why pray you to any of the congregation, why read you the bible, why receive you any sacrament, why hear you a sermon, unless you make these mediators also betwixt God and you? Than we by our prayers to the saints do not diminish or deny redemption by Christ, for whose sake, we acknowledge the prayers of them to be for us available.  
8. Lastly, thus I argue: although mediation by our Saviour Christ be most abundant 
Saintes means to apply the merits of Christ unto us.  and over flowing, yet the same is applied unto us as healthful and of salvation, by sundry means and instruments mediating betwixt our souls and his deserts, as by perusing of the written word, hearing of learned and virtuous speeches, folloving good exhortations, also by the freqent use of the sacraments: all which interceding means of our salvation as they do not disallow or injury the merits of our Saviour Christ, so no more do the prayers & gracious suffrages of the saints any thing tend to that bade effect: therefore to pray to the saints, or to expect salvation by their prayers, is no injury against the cross or merit of Christ. Who can deny, but that in a certain sense one may pronounce that he is to be saved by baptism, by the holy Eucharist, and reading the scriptures, by good exhortations and examples of others, as to become thereby penitent, & so to be saved, yet without imparinge mediation by Christ, because these sacraments, these scriptures, these exhortations work in the efficacy of Christ his merits, and are the effects of the price and desert of him, his blood worckeing our salvation in such sacraments, in words, examples & exhortations? Known it is, that only the divinity is the original chief and prime cause of our salvation: yet notwithstanding the humanity of Christ, his body and soul, and will, and that without misprision to the divinity, also are causes of our salvation, in that such humanity is an instrument of the divinity, sanctified thereby, and intercedeth betwixt the divinity and out trespasses. The third person of the holy Ghost by apropriation is reputed author of inspired charity, of justification, of repentance, and the like, yet without empeachement to the second, to the humanity of Christ, his cross, or his water in baptism, in that from the merits of Christ have we that assistance and operation from the holy Ghost. Than also one man may be said to save an other in soul, and to be a saviour by commission, deputation: and in a secondary sense S. Paul saved many, and namely the Corinthians: [we do pray unto God that you do no evil: not that we appear as proved, but that you do● 
2. Cor. ●3.  that which is good: then S. Paul endeavoured by his prayers to save the Corinthians, and hoped that their salvation should be an effect thereof. Why then good Protestant, one now an earth may not expect salvation by S. Paul his prayers in heaven without derogation to our saviour Christ? I require only here a little wit to make a Protestant a Catholic. Did not also the same Apostle S. Paul pray unto God for the Philippi●ns, that their Charity might abound, that they might appear sine off●nsa in die Christi, 
Phil. ●.  without default at the day of Christ? So that if God heard the Apostle his prayers▪ he saved them by the Apostle. Likewise S. Paul prayed for the Thesalonians▪ and was a saviour unto them under the chief Saviour of all, praying that they might prove worthy of the vocation of God, & that our saviour would power upon them the gifts of his 
●. Thess. ●.  mercies, and so save them to the glory of his name: then the Apostle endeavoured by his prayers to save the Thesalon●ans: and if they had hoped for the same by his prayers, and hoped for as much as the Apostle intended, what injury to Christ? To make an end, S. james thus counseleth all good Christians: Orat● pro in●●●●m, ut saluemin● 
jacob. ●.  pray one for another that you may be saved: so then according to the Apostle his request, one was to be saved by the prayers of an other. Wherefore, if the sacraments, the scriptures, good exhortations, and examples work salvation to many without injury to Christ, yea rather in commendation of his merit: he having chosen so many ways and means for his grace to arrive unto our souls, so also may the prayers of the saints in heaven work our salvation, and we hope for the same respectivelie thereon, without any injury to Christ our saviour, he having appointed them as his instruments and conduct pipes to convey his grace to our souls for their salvation. And therefore the Church in her prayers directed to saints resolveth the final end and principal thing in our hope to our saviour Christ, thus concluding her petition. Through Christ our lord. It is the purpose of our saviour in this our hope, and in these our prayers to saints, to honour his servants and Champeons in heaven, to recall often for our edification them to our minds, making the saints his workmen in his harvest of the worlds salvation: he remainge still as fountain, they as streams, he the son, they gleams: he the furnace, they the sparkles, he the principal bark and commander of our hope and repose, they his pilots for our direction and passage to salvation.  
●. Wherefore there appeareth no just cause, why the Protestant should charged 
Difference betwixt a Pagan and a Christian in hope. C●●ill l 4. c●. Iul●an. So also Pla●o ibid.  our religion in this respect either with Paganrie, or approchement thereunto. For in a brief compendium of heathenish Thelogie, given by julian the Apostata, recorded by S. Cirill, we may behold the whole drift and compass thereof. Whereupon that unfortunate Imperour affirmed, from one God to have had ishew diverse petigods, as Mercury, Mars, Apollo, and others of this sort: so that the povidence of almighty God, as concerning human affairs, in all businesses was to be committed to the immediate disposition of these his substitutes; and that all our dutiful respects of reliance and religion end in them, as our nearest, and supremest lords and masters: from whose care and Protection he affirmed to proceed the opposite variety of manners and natural inclinations in sundry people: as that the German, and the Scythian be adventerouse, the Graecian and Roman civil and courtesou, the Si●ian 
The ●lde Roman Pag●●, and also Graecian deemed every one sal●e and sure in his several religion A●ist. l●●. de Caelo c. 1. A●ist lib de ●undo ●a▪ 5. Ciri l. ●. count. julian. The Pagans' restrained Gods immen s●●e and providence.  sweet and tractable. Consequently he determined, that all Nations guided by these Gods, although contrary in belief, rite, and action, yet had sufficient means indifferently of eternal salvation: blaming the christian doctrine restraining the same to the faith & law of Christ. With which estimation, we Catholics having dependence on the saints, and friends of almighty God, retain no affinity. For the pagan with Aristotle did abridge and confine the immensity of the divinity within the compass of heavens globes. The ancient, sayeth he, did attribute the highest place unto the Gods, because it is immortal. Moreover with the same Aristotle the limited divine pro●idence to the celestial bodies, recommending the administration of human affairs to the inferior Gods. But S. Cirill showeth how this profane conceit of the di●initie, as it iniurieth the providence of almighty God, so doth it hinder our piety and devotion. How may it be thought, that God governeth man, if with his one hands he ●●●che safed not to make him? And how is he delighted with our religion, if from our beginning w●●● not his creature's? Whereupon it can not be said, that we do leave God as insufficient with the pagan in that for salvation we make recourse to the saints: for 
julian the Apostata accused Christians to have prayed to saints being prostrated at their sepulchres: but that Christian manner is defended by S. Cir● l 10. count. julian Theodotet. l 4 con. Graecoes. Aug. l 2. con. parmen ca 8. Aug. l. de do no pursue. c. 22. Aug lib 2. de peccat Merit c 6 Tract in johan cap: ● Civil l 5. count. julian.  this detraction from God proceedeth in regard that either the saints are creatures, or Gods in our account. From the former can not be d●eiued any such derogation: for that all Christians, and the Protestants themselves, for salvation immediately repair to the Scriptures, to the words and voices of men, to Sacraments, to good examples and documents, which be creatures. As concerning the other respect, we esteem not of the saints as of Gods: to wit as prime and principal causes of our salvation, but secondary only, they having from Christ, as principal, all virtue of mediation and suffrage: as we do also judge of sacraments & other creatures ouward and inward, concurring as means and causes to our salvation. There is one sole and ●●ew mediator, sayeth S. Augustin for whom there is no need that any should pray. But all Christian men commend themselves to one another's prayers. Yea he maketh the predestination of some, an effect of Saints prayers, Peradventure they were so predestinated, that it was granted them to be predestinated through our prayers, and received that grace, whereby they would, and were made elect. Therefore in that we make not reckoning of saints as of Gods, or principal causes of our salvation, thereupon notwithstanding we relying on saints, one the humanity of Christ, being creatures, we derogate nothing in our hope from almighty God. From whom sayeth S. Augustin that we are to desire salvation, not from fortune, not from fatality, or from any other besides almighty God, the ensuing words of the Psalmist do teach: oh lord direct my io●ness according to thy word. Neither are the saints, as sayeth the same Doctor those hills, in whom our hope is to be reposed: in that the formal motive of our hope, regardable in the object thereof, is not in the saints themselves, but in the goodness and power of almighty God, through out saviour jesus Christ. furthermore the hope of the pagan, according to julian the Apost●ta, never arrived immediately to almighty God, but to Mars, Mercury, Apollo, who where creatures: also it branched out into diversity and contrariety of the Gods among themselves, and also of Nations, who were their suppliants: Contrary wise our hope passeth by the saints, by scriptures, by exhortations, by Sacraments, immediately to almighty God. Rather the Protestant agreeth with paganrie of julian, affording salvation to all dissagreeing sects, as he did. They also accord with julian in this, that it may seem absurd for almighty God to change or ordain the course of his holy providence respectively unto the prayers of Moses, Phinees or any saint triumphing in glory.  
10. To conclude then in charity towards the Christian reader, and to shut up the row parts of this Trial entreating of faith and hope, for thy better instruction thereby, I beseech thee only observe this animadversion: to wit, that sithence the nature of men through the fall of Adam, and otherwise, is weakened in all faculties for the workeinge according to reason, virtue and civility, and is strongly inclined to sensuality, to unseemly pleasures, and finally tendeth of itself to disorder and barbarism, thou must know, that religion to be best, and to be atcepted of the, the which for virtue, for reason, for civility, giveth the more efficacious forces of aid and assistance, calling back as it were the motion & bend of this our depravation. In regard whereof, we with great probability argue against the pagan for the truth of Christianity, in that our blessed saviour, by his holy faith, comfortable hope, industrious charity, and heavenly religion, standeth before all other reformers for the abetterance of nature, and reclaimeing of it to virtue and civility. Whereupon only balance by thy own thoughts, I beseech the, whether the Catholic yieldeth to nature's weakness, ignorances, and calamities, better means to live according to virtue and civility, than the Protestant can afford, or no: and then shalt thou see, that whereas the faith catholic relying on the outward authority of the church is a judicious faith, a faith of certainty, of verity, of purity, contrariwise perceive the faith Protestantish estranged from authority, to be devoid of prudence, of judgement, of unity, of certainty, of integrity: finally no faith at all, but a devised machine of Antichrist, coloured with the name of faith, to batter and destroy the Christian faith in substance and saveing life thereof. Also clearly will it appear unto thee, that as the Catholic hope extolleth the goodness and mercies of almighty God, affordeth us couradge and force to proceed in virtue, so the hope Protestantish, to imp●re that goodness, tendeth wholly to liberty, to freedom in sin & to a careless desperation, and so resolve, that seeing the Roman Catholic faith and hope helpeth a man better to his end, that is to live according to virtue, and where nature is frail or broken, there to yield more commodious aid for a good and virtuous deportement, the same faith and hope to be embraced, entertained and respected by the as sole means of honesty and salvation: To which drift I promiss the, by the help of almighty God, to give the more manifest proofs against protestancy for the Catholic Roman belief in the other too parts handleinge the virtues Charity, and religion. And whereas these later years of novelty and change in the mysteries of heaven, have wrought a great decay of Christian faith in this our kingdom; so have they disfornished nature of many helps for virtue, & made strong, eventhrough out, the empire of sin; of evil customs, and so of barbarism, the ugly and monstruous brat of such deformed parents. Wherefore no enemy either foreign or domestical, can by any means work us so great harm and ruin, as if he nourish, and foster such bad and lose demeanours among us, neither can they take a grvater revenge of us then by such a toleration: for so by vice made beastly, covardly, foolish, unfaithful, disloyal to God and man, careless, a few united forces may incline us at pleasure, or break us by provess.  

O Tumide, rerum dum secundarum status 
Sen. in Troas 305.   
Extoll●t animos, timide, cum incerepuit metus Regum!  
O wily wit fuelles that pride,  
Whilst flourishing state it feeds in joy:  
But when the tyrants law is cried,  
He steppeth back for every toy.   
Wherhfore dear countrymen, with the cockle open soul your to receive the dew of heaven, to be enriched with the pearl of true faith religion, and their on will follow knowledge, wisdom, Valour, union, and that ancient English worth, so famous by letters and arms, so graced by virtues, and approved by the manifold blessings of almighty God. Do not seek by force only and bloody resistance to prevail, or to maintain by cruelty that sect, which vulgarelie is professed in this kingdom. Be then prudent and charitable: and so an end with my hearty wish of your eternal felicity.  

Conspirat uno faederatus spiritu 
Prudent. Perysteph.   
Grex Christianus, agmen imperterrirum  
Matrum, virorum, paruulorum, virginum.  
Fixa & statuta est omnibus sententia  
Fidem tueri, vel libenter emor●.  
One leauge of spirit makes conspire  
To Christian fold, undaunted ranks,  
That mothers, men and babes retire.  
The virgin entereth band with thanks:  
And all on this vow do rely,  
Faith to defend, or else to dye.    
FINIS.   

A catalogue of the Chapters contained in the second part of the Trial, entreating of the virtue Hope.  

CHAPTER. I.  
The Catholic Roman faith, related to hope, in regard of principality, and subjection in a civil common Wealth, as also of all virtue in general, is marvelously commendable and convenient: implying likewise in itself hereby such arguments of probable credibility, as human prudence may either wish or desire.   

CHAPTER. II.  
What the Protestant giveth credit unto, according to propriety of his sect, is altogether contrary to the honour, security, office and function of a Civil Prince. Neither is it in any dew respect proportionable to that expected good, which subjects are especially obliged to procure.   

CHAPTER. III.  
In the virtue of hope all strength and fortitude of Christian life is comprised: by force whereof as man accomplisheth his office and duty, so also thereby he attaineth to the final end of his Creation and being.   

CHAPTER. iv  
Christian Hope Waiteth in attendance upon that grace of almighty God, according to instruction from faith, Which in number of virtuous Works is most fruitful, and in their eminency high and sovereign.   

CHAPTER. V  
The reliance, which Christian Hope hath upon the endeavours of virtue, is not only sacred and heavenly, but truly civil and Politic.   

CHAPTER. VI  
Our Christian hope, as it beareth strong hand against pride, and voluptuousness, so thereby standeth it against tow mighty engines of incivility and barbarity.   

CHAPTER. VII.  
What sufferances the Christian Catholic hope undergoeth, the same it dndureth by true fortitude. Conttatiewise all pressures and martirdoomes tolerated by Protestants, are neither passages of Christian Hope, nor enterprises of virtuous courage.   

CHAPTER. VIII.  
Seeing that our Christian hope is a firm expectation of supernatural benevolences, purchased for us by our Saviour Christ God and Man, hereupon it followeth, that no sort of men alienated from our Catholic Church, hath so certain a repose in the mercy of almighty God, as we. which assurance, and establishment by the Protestant, to that purpose addressed by Antichrist, is in sundry respects weakened and diminished.   

CHAPTER. IX.  
The virtue hope, that relieth on the grace of God, purchased for us by the merits of our Saviour Christ, importeth also our cooperation of frank and free consent. Whereas the Protestanter denying both the vital motion of man his will, & also the free consent thereof in the works of faith, hope, and charity, as likewise in the offices of all other virtues requiring the especial assistance of God his grace, together with the empairinge of this heavenly gift, he also doth resist and cross the very nature and essential quality of hope, and confidence in almighty God.   

CHAPTER. X.  
The Catholic by hope expecteth from God such bounty of grace, as is not only 'cause of good consent, but also in generality grace of sufficiency, afforded to the wicked & reprobate; although they misdemeane themselves in sin: whereas the feigned hope of the Protestant maketh account of no such favour from almighty God, as if he should even to offenders impart at any time his grace of ability or possibilitio to do well.   

CHAPTER. XI.  
Whereas faith assureth us of nature's decay by original sin, so doth the Catholic hope designeth that grace of God by our saviour Christ, as serveth to the recovery & perfection thereof: but the hope of the Protestanter blaming and complaining too too much of nature's calamities, affordeth nothing to grace or virtue.   

CHAPTER. XII.  
The first or indeliberate motions of concupiscence before free consent, are not deadly and mortal▪ but rather adversaries for Christian Hope, in her purity and constancy, set upon by their temptations, to fight against. In which combat the Protestant blemisheth and disaduan●ageth Hope, accounting them deadly crimes where such consent is wanting.   

CHAPTER. XIII.  
Hope in the Catholic is much provoked to virtue by faith believing the commandments of God and nature to be possible. Contrariwise the Protestanter making them impossible, empaireth thereby the strength and courage of that great and sovereign virtue.   

CHAPTER. XIV.  
The positive laws of the Church, & of the Civil magistrate, are admitted by the Catholic Hope as bands & obligations of men's consciences, and therefore for purity and integrity of life it standeth in prime & flower against the Protestanter, acknowledging no such debt of duty from them arising.   

CHAPTER. XV.  
Hope by the Catholic faith is busily set on work about prayer & piety for the obtaining of heavenly grace: the which virtuous function is abolished by the faith Protestantish.   

CHAPTER. XVI.  
Catholic Hope willingly undergoeth the works of mortification; whereas the Protestantish faith of justification abhorreth and maketh utterly void so necessary and holy a practice and institution for virtue and goodness.   

CHAPTER. XVII.  
The Christian Catholic hope hath confidence and repose in the goodness of almighty God, accounting him an hater of sin, & in no ways worker of it in man: whereas the hope protestantish regarding this sacred and just providence, attributeth to God, as author, cause, and effectour all iniquity contrived by the malice of man, or sathan.   

CHAPTER. XVIII.  
The Christian Catholic confidence expecteth of the goodness and justice of almighty God eternal salvation; supposing that we before iustifcation cooperate with his grace by faith, fear, hope, repentance, charity, and after by observing his commandments: whereas the hope Protestantish, emboldened in presumption, looketh for beatitude by only faith to be obtained, contrary to all virtue, and the grace of Christ, whose effect is virtue.   

CHAPTER. XIX.  
The Catholic hope although surely grounded in the promises of God, and his grace, by our saviour Christ, yet it is adjoined to fear and dread of the divine judgements, so recommended in holy writ. But the hope Protestantish, enemy to such a fear, is a desperate presumption, and an arrogant refusal of all heavenly favour and benefit by the cross of our Redeemer.   

CHAPTER. XX.  
Catholic hope by contrition for sins committed, and also by the love of God above all things, as due dispositions, expecteth the grace of justification: whereas the Protestanter by the quality of his justifying faith, disannulleth the necessity of them, their use or practice.   

CHAPTER. XXI.  
Faith, the which is sufficient, in as much as is exacted to the true nature of faith, through man his frailty may be separated from charity; although the Protestant to make a colour for his justifying faith, as if a faith charitable and holy, denieth the possibility of such a separation. But indeed his drift is, to establish a faith of itself alone, devoid of charity, yea accompanied with the opposite vices, as competent to justification and salvation.   

CHAPTER. XXII.  
Charity aimed at by Hope, according to the Catholic account, is a work of man his soul, proceeding from grace, and the inspiration of the holy Ghost, good and laudable; all though the Protestanter enemy thereunto, repute it as nought, bad, and defiled by original sin, in the very regenerate children of almighty God.   

CHAPTER. XXIII.  
What mixture of love and grief the Catholic conceiveth and nourisheth in his soul by the meditation of our Saviour hangeing upon the Cross, the Protestanter impiously & presumptuously impugneth, hindereth, and endeavoureth to abolish as vain, superstitious, and of no spiritual import or commodity.   

CHAPTER. XXIIII.  
Hope levelling course to the benefit of justification, acknowledged by the Catholic, as consisting of a gracious quality inhering in the soul, aimeth at a purpose worthy itself, and almighty God: contrariwise The Protestantish reputation of this grace is not so serviceable to such a good affection towards our heavenly benefactor.   

CHAPTER. XXV.  
The benefit of a justifying grace remitting and perdoning in us original sin, Catholikelie esteemed, maketh much for the worth of Christian Hope: contratiwise what in this affair is defined by the Protestanter, is, as hurtful to the same confidence, so derogative also to the Passion and merits of our Redeemer.   

CHAPTER. XXVI.  
Great Hope of God his grace towards us, through Christ our Saviour conceived is by us, & moreover exhibited unto us, when we expect and enjoy a washing away of actual sins by the grace of justification. An enemy of which sovetaine Hope is the Protestanter, denying the effect and is he we of so desired a favour and benevolence.   

CHAPTER. XXVII.  
Catholic Hope causeth fear to lose the grace of justification through the occasions of sin, and therefore is heedful and pure. On the other side the Protestanter is a flat Puritan, that is carnal and bestial, defining, justice once acquired not to be looseable, or in peril of falling from the soul.   

CHAPTER. XXVIII.  
Hope catholicly informed acknowledgeth a grievous hurt by sin; and also in every one a debpte to avoid the same. Against which pure and honest information stanneth the Puritanical Protestanter in virtue of his justifying faith, making reckoning neither of the one, nor of the other.   

CHAPTER. XXIX.  
Catholic hope informed by faith distinguisheth in purity according to truth betwixt a venial and a mortal sin: to which is opposite the doctrine of the Protestanter making all offences equally mortal and damnable.   

CHAPTER. XXX.  
Hope catholic remarketh heavenly bliss as a reward and purchase through good and meretoriouse actions in persons justified: of which merit seeing the Protestanter maketh no account, in that behalf his hope is plain arrogancy and presumption.   

CHAPTER. XXXI.  
Whereas the hope catholic taketh all strength and firmitude from the goods of almighty God acknoledged by faith, and in that respect relieth on his secret, hidden, and merciful predestination; the hope Protestantish from predestination deriveth that repose and security, which is base presumptuous, and in deed the high way to desperation.   

CHAPTER. XXXII.  
Such esteem maketh the hope Catholic of God his gracious mer●ies through our saviour Christ, as that he destinyeth none by reprobation to hell but through their own default: whereas the Protestanter maketh God a Tyrant, in this life disfornishing the reprobate of all sufficient grace, & after casting them into hell fire without any misdeserte of theirs.   

CHAPTER. XXXIII.  
The Hope Catholic, to the commendation of the merit of our saviour Christ, expecteth from the sacraments, as seven in number, so also as from effectual causes of sanctification, grace & justice inherent: whereas the vain repose of a feigned hope in the Protestanter is most injurious to such merit, and all benefit of heavenly grace.   

CHAPTER. XXXIIII.  
The Catholic hope relying on the works of virtue, as satisfaction through the grace of Christ, and also on the value of indulgences, dispensed by the Princes of the Church fore remission of temporal penalties is most sure, Christian and comfortable: Whereas the Protestant in his vain hope of salvation rejecting the one and the other assistance, suarueth from the direction and benefit of the Cross & redemption by our saviour Christ.   

CHAPTER. XXXV.  
As the divine virtue of hope attendeth grace of God, through Christ our saviour derived and applied in sundry sort of causes in mediation, so doth it in particular expect such grace, supplication being made to the Saints as well living on earth, as blessed in heaven: Whereas erroneously the hope Protestantish censuring such recourse to saints, as injurious to Christ, abolisheth those convenient means of our heavenly benediction.   
FINIS:  
LAUS Deo, Beatissimae Mariae Virgini, et omnibus Sanctis.