[Anonymous Catholic letter on the subject of Protestant literature.]

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Written 1689.

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vol. 1, p. 11
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vol. 1, p. 11

Honorable Sr I have perused the smale treatise which from Yr H{on}or I borrowed, wherein I founde very many fayre and fragrante floweres, yet intermixte with severall and diverse pinching thornes, which will sore wounde, if thy be not dexterously handled : a sweete and delightsome potione, yet mixte with venemous poyson, which will unadvisedly cast the drincker unto the slumber of deadly sleepe, if the poyson be not separated, a whoelsome saule, to cure the feastred wooundes of the ulcered soule, yet sprinckled with poysened dust, which, if it be not blowen of, will canker the woundes and make them uncurable, finally a pleasante and fayere way to the lande of promisse, yet obvious to many deepe rivers and pitts, where a man (if he knowes not [well how] to guide the way,) may be unexpectedy drowned. The whoele drift and principall end of the Author, as farr as I could gather, [was] to disswade a certaine frinde of [Disence?] from despayring of gods mercie, notwithstanding the haynous waight, and multitud of his sinnes: which he intends to bring to passe by three principall arguments, the first, that he was not the only mane, whoe was this cruely vexed in conscience, and that he prowes adducing severall good exemples of holly scripture. the seconde that he was overmatched in sinnes by many others, as Mary Magdalen, &c. whoe nevertheless obtained pardon. the thirde, that Christe our Savior has sufficiently and abondantly satisfied for the sinnes of the electe, soe as they may not, nor cannot despayre, by resone it is impossible for them, who onste has receaved Christs fayth, to loose it, or to falle from gods grace onst obtained. The end shurly is very good, for noe sinner how greewous soever he be, ought to dispaire of gods mercie; and the meance or arguments ar not unfitt, if some corruptione and venemous matter in them contained, be wringed out and wipped a way, and if thy be reade and understoode rightly, according the sounde and whoelsome interpretatione of the holly fathers.

That Yr H{on}or may the better perseave those corruptions heere contained I will endevour to broche some feaw of many ulcers, out of whose stince and filth yo may gather the venome of the rest, the bleindness of the leader, and that often amonge fragrant flowers pierching thornes are found, and that sugred wine is with bitter gale some tymes mixte, and that we must not followe evry way which to our selves seemes saffe and pleasant. First therfor pag. 25. and thence forwarde in some leves he seemes to prowe, that if a man be onste in gods grace he can never fall unto his disgrace, but is assured firmly of salvation; if heere he understands, as he seemes to doe, that the electe, or predestinated never sinnes, or never incurres gods displeasure, he is farre deceaved, as his forefather Calvine was, and gainesays the holly scripture. For first, if I should demaund of him, whether our first progenitores Adam and Eva were created in iustice, innocencie, and the fovoure of god, questionless he will answere, they were, otherwise, he is an Idiote and ignorant of sacred scripture. If they were created in iustice, and in gods favoure, how came it to passe, that they soe greevesly, by trespassing his commaundment in Paradice, fell unto his disgrace and were therfor banished from that place of pleasure, unto this peregrination of mysery, shurly such a sore penaunce was not inflicted, without incurring a greate displeasure; Secondly was holy Petter, Prince of the Apostles, one of gods electe? Why then, how came it to pass, that he denied Christe three tymes or how could he more incurre his displeasure then by denieing him? or if he did not incurre his displeasure, what made him weepe soe bitterly, questionless he wept not withoute cause, neither is there any other cause to be imagined, but that he offended Christe and incurred his displeasure. Thirdly he awouches himself pag. 133 and thereabouts that noe man whiles he lyves in this mortall lyfe, can abstaine from sinning, and for exemple he produceth holly Sainct Paule; if they sinne, shuerly, they offende god, and incurre his displeasure, for god according the holy scripture Sap. 14. 'hates the

Last edit about 3 years ago by Stephen
vol. 1, p. 12
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vol. 1, p. 12

impious and his impietie'. The places of scripture therfore which he produceth, are to be understoode, that thoe the electe or predestinated some tymes, throw human frailty, and the common adversarys deceite, sinnes deadly, as holy David and Sainct Peter did and consequently incurrs gods wrathe and indignation, as longe as they remaine in sinne, yet throwe gods greate mercie and grace, they arrise againe from sinne, and are reconciled by sorowe, repentaunce, and such other meance left by Christ, unto him, whome they soe ungratfully offended. And soe it is verified, that whom God once loves he loves to the end, be reson he leaves him not finaly in sinne.

In the seconde parte of the Treatise and specially pag. 82. and consequently he seemes to perswade, that a man onst being iustified by fayth may undouptedly perswade himselfe, that he cannot thence forwarde miscarry, or louse that fayth, which onste he has receaved, and consequently that he may be certaine of finall perseverance in Gods favoure, and of life everlasting, notwithstanding how greeveusly soever he offendes God. Heerein he followes his erroneus master Calvins opinion who houldes that fayth onst had is never lost, and that it is proper to the elect only, and consequently that noe reprobat never had fayth, and that he whoe has fayth may be certaine of salvation which principles are soe manifestly contrary to holy scripture as nothing can be more, for holy Paule in his 1. chap. of his first epistill to Timotheus 19 verse says 'Having fayth and good conscience, which some having put away, as concerninge fayth have made shipwracke, of whome is Hymneus and Alexander', and in the 4 chap. he says: 'Nowe the spirite speaketh evidently that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the fayth gevinge heede unto spirites of error, and doctrine of devilles'. These places are soe plaine and evident that noe man of any understanding, if he be not blinded and wholy forsaken of gods grace, as poore Calvine and his followers seemes to be, can deny, for if some has made shipwracke of there fayth, they made it of the fayth which onst they had; and if some departes from the fayth, shurly they departe fromt he fayth they had, for noe man departs, but with that, which he has, therefore none can unfallebly perswade himselfe that thoe onst he had the true fayth, but he may, throwe his oune fraility, the devills deceite and gods permission, some tymes fall from it, for if he could not, the holy Ghost speaking by the Apostle, would be a lyer; and allsoe it would followe thence, that there never were any heresies, for those are called heretiques who fell from the fayth onst had, for if they never had any fayth then they should be rather called Infidelles then heretiques, but according holly scripture heresies must be, and this Calvine himselfe acknowlegeth, for Symon Magus, Nicolas, Hymneus, and Alexander of whom the scripture mackes mention, onst had the fayth, as the same scripture testifieth, and yet they fell from it wittnessing the Apostle above cited.

That a man having fayth can firmly beleeve, and perswade himselfe that his sinnes are forgeven him by Christes merite, is noe lesse against scripture, for the holy Ghost ecclesiast. 9 says, 'a man knowes not whether he be worthy of hatred or love, but all are kept uncertaine to a future tyme', and ecclesi: 15. of the sinne forgevin, be not withoute feare, and holy Paule 1 Cor. 4 says of himselfe 'I am nothing guiltie to me selfe, yet am I not thereby iustified, but that iudgeth me is the Lorde'. Yo see how the Apostle says that he finds not his conscie[n]ce guilty of any, yet he affirmes that heerein he is not iustified, which certainly he would not say, if he undouptedly and firmly beleeved, that all those, whoe has fayth, are questionless iustified in Christe, and that there sinnes are forgevin them, and neverthelesse the Apostle firmly beleeved himselfe to have the fayth of Jesus Christe, neither would Calvin or any els dare deny this: therefor thoe a man firmly beleeves himselfe to have the true fayth of Christe, yet he cannot undouptedly perswade himselfe, that thereby he is iustified, or that his sinnes are questionless forgevin him, otherwise the Apostle might thus beleeve of himselfe which he dos not. Hence Deare Sr yo may evidently see, how heresie blindeth a man, and how those, whoe forsaking the unanemous consent of the catholique church and the holy fathers thruistes to there oune proper particular spirite, are led away by the spirite of error, and reades the holy scriptures only to impunge the thruith, wher in if they feind any apparant place or texte convenient to there perverse intentione, they soe

Last edit about 3 years ago by Stephen
vol. 1, p. 13
Complete

vol. 1, p. 13

they soe much urge it, and painte it with such faiere coloures of pleasant woords and dexterous subteile argumentes that they cause the poore simple people to beleeve there untruith, to be unfallible verily; and thoe there be evident texts of scripture contrarie to what they say, yet they are soe carried away with theire oune blinde malice, that they cannot see it, or will not understande it; as for example, in the present matter: the author of yr treatise following his masters steppes produceth that text of the 8. chap. to the Rom. 'The same spirite beareth witnesse to our spirite that we are the sonnes of God, if we be sonnes, then are we alsoe heyres, the heyres of God, and ioint heires of Christe'; hince they endevoure to prowe, that those who has faith onst, can never miscary, why? because the spirite beareth wittnes to our spirite; but good sirs, dos the spirite beare wittness that ye never sinne or miscarry? noe truly, but he beareth wittness, that all 'those, whoe are led by the spiritte of God are the sonnes of God', as the texte sayeth in the same chap. but shurly those, whoe sinnes are not led by Gods spirite, and consequently are not while they sinne, the sonnes of God. This place which is obscure and being wel examened conduceth nothing to there purpouse, they produce, that being onst the children of God by fayth, they cannever miscarry, but are certified of salvation; and they doe not consider or will not understand such other places of holy scripture, which affirmes the contrary, and are soe cleere and evident, that evry childe may understande, as that above cited of the 4. chap. of the 1. epist. to Timot. 'nowe the spirite speaketh evidently, that in latter tymes some shall departe from the fayth', which woordes are soe cleere as thy neede noe explicatione, for if they departe from the fayth, how can they persevere continualy in the fayth onst had, or can they togethere persever in in fayth and parte with it allsoe? see what contradiction followes out of Calvins and his adherents opinion; and let this suffice for a man of understan[d]ing to conceave, the error and [blemones?] and malice of those people to whom may be applied that saying of christe Matth. 15. 'They be the blinde leaders of the blinde.' But shurly 'if the blynde leades the bleynde both shall fall into the ditch.' Many other places might be soe notede which for brevitys sake I omitte, as that pag. 144. where he insinuates that the iust sinnes, but not willingly, heere the poore fellowe seemes to measure all others by himself, for thoe he, throwe his oune bad and doggly inclination, could not, or rather would not refraine his sensuall appetites from sinne; thinks he that others, whoe intendes to serwe god sincerly cannot abstaine from sinne? be his leave we doe not beleeve him, but rather we beleeve the unanemous consent of the whoele church, and our dayly proper experience, whereby we evidently feind, that we can, by gods grace, abstaine from sinne, when we please, otherwis we had noe proper will contrary to holly Paule 1. Cor. 7. saying: 'having noe neede, but hath power over his owen will'; and Gen. 4. God speaking to Cain says 'if you had don well would you not receave but if you doe ille presently in the doore the sinne is present: yet his appetite is under you, and you will dominire over it'. If we dominire over sinne, we may at our will abstaine from sinne. This you may testify yr selfe by proper experience, for shurily you may abstaine from taking away yr neighbours goods, thoe you had good commodity to take it a way: for if of necessity wee sinned, god whoe is most iust and merciefull would uniustly punish us therfore, as he would be uniust for punishing us for eating drinking or sleeping. Hence appeereth the absurditie of that which the author says pag. 141. where he insinuats that holy Paule against [his] will fell unto sinne, which he prowes by certaine textes of the sayed Apostel there cited, but he is farre deceaved, because he declines from the holy churchs interpretation, for the Apostle in them places understandes by the name of sinne and evill, the proness or inclination, or sensuall appetite which evry man commonly fileth in himself, which proness or appetite is not a sinne, because it induceth, and inticeth a man to sinne by pleasin[g] allurement; and of this proness holy Paule complaineth and praieth earnestly it should be tak[en] away from him, but he was answered, that Gods grace should suffice him, which would preser[ve] him from consenting to those inclinations, or fullfilling theire desires, and consequently from s[inne.]

Last edit about 3 years ago by Stephen
vol. 1, p. 14
Complete

vol. 1, p. 14

Most Loving and deare Sir as I would have you warily take heede of such venome as this spider gathered oute of the sweete flowers of holly Scripture, soe doe I exhorte you in Christe Jesus to imitate the gentill nature of the bee, that oute of evry hearbe thoe soure soevere gathereth sweete honny, and from among those thornes, without pinching, you collecte such roses as may yeilde yr soule sweete savore, and wringing oute the poyson, you take the sugred wine, which may comfort you in our Lorde. And first note what the Author contrary to his oune doctrine says pag. 93. that he whoe never complained of weaknesse of fayth, never had any sound saving fayth, nor he that never doupted of salvation, never beleeved rightly, nor had any good assurance of salvation, whince you may rightly doupt whether you be in the right way of salvation, specially seeing you are by many resons thereunto moved, and consequently that you are bounde diligently to search after the truith, and not to adheare to yr oune opinione as the Author disswades pag. 163. where he says that many are bleinded through the darknesse of there oune understanding, soe as they cannot iudge of no colours, even as holy Paul before his conversion, whoe thought he performed acceptable service to god, when he was a cruell persecutor of Christe. Soe may you thinke that you are throwe yr oune opinion blinded, thoe you suppouse yrselfe to be in yr oune religione most acceptable to God. What then must you doe? That which the same Author writs pag. 78. oute of the 58 chap. of Esay Let the wicked forsake his wayes, 'and the unrighteous his oune imaginations' (mark this) and return unto the Lord, and he will have mercie uppon him: and to our God, for he is very readie to forgive. And how will you doe this? As the same author teaches imediatly after, to witt be confessing humbly yr sinne and error, as holy David did, when the Prophite Nathan reprehended him. But unto whom will you confesse? Unto those, whoe by Christes authoritie can absolve you to witt the Pristes, unto whome our Savior sayd in the Apostles persones Joan. 20. And when he sayde these wordes, he breathed on them, and say[d] unto them, receave ye the holy Ghost, whosoevers sinnes ye remitte thy are remitted unto them: and whosoevers sinnes ye retaine, they are retayned. You see plainly what authority Christ gave to the Pristes, unto them therefore you must confesse yr sinnes, that they may a[bsolve] you from them. But how will you prepare yrselfe unto this [confession ] [teaches] you .pag. [20?]. [ ] you sinne at yr [hearte], more then [ ] any [ ] thing in the whole world, and that [because] you have so [unnaturally], soe good [gracious and] mercifull a benefactor, as yr sweete god and redimer is. Secondly that you purpose [to the] uttermost of yr power by Gods grace never to offende him any more, and to resolwe to walk in holinesse and righteousnesse all the days of yr life. Thirdly (which the [Author] leaves out to make full and sufficient satisfaction the best you may to all those, whome you have uniustly wronged.

Deare frinde you see how in one garding are founde fragrant flowers and pinching thornes, sweete roses, and burning nettells, killing hearbes, and wholsome Balsame, plesant [aliues], and drowning diches. Among those therfore chouse the flowers and [shun] the briers, take the rose and tread the netells, take heede of deadly hearbes, and gather wisly the healing balsame, runne noe further headlong unto the drowning diches of error and wretched herisy, but come and walke the plesant [aliues] of Christ [ ] fayth in the garding of the holy, catholique and Apostolique church [will] lead you [ ] the [ ] to the gates of eternall salvation. And this wisseth he with all his hearte, whoe wisseth yr Honor all health and happiness.

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