A replie to Iesuit Fishers answere to certain questions propou[n]ded by his most gratious Matie: King Iames By Francis White D: of Div· deane of Carlile, chaplaine to his Matie. Hereunto is annexed, a conference of the right: R:B: of St Dauids wth the same Iesuit*

ANSWER.

Not onely the Angels of God, but holy men on earth, re∣ioyce at the conuersion of a sinner, Luke 15.24. 2. Cor. 7.9. Likewise Parents, Ministers, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reioyce, &c. and yet it followeth not from hence, That holy men on earth, which re∣ioyce [ C] at the conuersion of a sinner, see the secrets of the heart. 1. Cor. 2.11. So likewise Angels which are ministring Spirits, Heb. 1.14. may vnderstand by the signes and fruits of true re∣pentance, the conuersion of diuers sinners, and consequently, they may reioyce, without intuitiue knowledge of the heart.

Secondly, Our Sauiours words, Luk. 15.10. are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the conclusion of a Parable, which must not be strained beyond the true scope b. But according to the exposition of sundrie Fa∣thers c, and some learned Papists d: The hundred sheepe, Vers. 4.

represent the whole Bodie of the Elect, consisting of men and [ A] Angels: The ninetie and nine sheepe not lost, were the Angels, per∣sisting in their prime integritie: The stray sheepe, all mankinde, sinning in Adam. To recouer this lost sheepe, the Sonne of God (that good Shepheard, Iohn 10. 11.) was incarnate, and by the gracious worke of Redemption, he laid the same on his shoulder. Now there is great ioy in heauen before the coe∣lestiall Angels, for this recouerie and saluation of mankinde. But if this exposition be admitted, no more can bee inferred, but that the Court of heauen, and in the same, the holy Angels reioyce, because of mans Redemption. Neither is it conse∣quent, [ B] the holy Angels reioyce, because of the conuersion and reduction of mankind: Ergo, They know distinctly and per∣petually the particular qualitie of euery indiuiduall sinners re∣pentance.

Lastly, If the said words, Luke 15. 10. bee vnderstood of sinners in particular, this Text yet falleth short to prooue, that all the caelestiall Angels, perpetually, and at the very instant, know the particular true repentance of euery sinner, indiuidually: for the same may bee vnderstood according to this supposition or reflection, to wit, There is ioy before the An∣gels [ C] of heauen, ouer one sinner which repenteth, when the repentance of this one sinner, is made knowne vnto them: but it is not said, nei∣ther can it bee inferred, That coelestiall Angels know con∣stantly, and at all times, when each indiuiduall person repen∣teth truely.

Our Aduersaries therefore cannot ground an infallible Do∣ctrine, touching Angelicall science, vpon a branch of a Pa∣rable (which according to themselues) admitteth diuers ex∣positions, and the consequence whereof is not necessarie, but contingent, and vpon supposition. [ D]

Notes

• b

  Chrys. in Math. Hom. 48. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. [ D] Origen. in Mat. c. 13. Salmeron. Tom 7. Tract. 3. In Parabola Haedorum & ouium iusti inducuntur dicentes, Domine quando te vidimus esurientem, &c. Non propteria haec dicuntur, quodiusti haecillo tempore verba dicturi sunt, &c.
• c

  Ambros. l. 7. in Luc. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. in Math. Can. 18. Ouis vna, homo intelligendus est: & sub vno homine vniuersitas sentienda est, sed in vnius Adae errore, omne ge∣nus humanum aberrauit: Ergo, nonaginta nouem non errantes, multitudo Angelorum caelestium opinanda est, &c. Isiodor. li. Allegor. Homo habens centum 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & relictis illis, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 perditam quaerit, ac repertam humeris reuehit, figuram Christi expressit, qui relictis millibus Angelorū in coelo, ouem quae perierat in Adam, vt bonus pa∣stor, quaesitam in gentilcus reperit: atque crucis suae humeris ad Paradisum reportauit. Chrysolog. Ser. 168.
• d

  Ca∣ietan. sup. Luc. ca. 15. Parobola, &c. Significat, ipsum Iesum filium Dei, habentem centum oues (hoc est vniuersos Electos) quarum vna perdita natura humana est: Nonaginta vero nouem dimissae in deserto, omnes sunt Electi Angeli, quibus deest ad perficiendum electorum numetum genus humanum. Desertum autem caelum est seperatū omnimo a nobis. Aduentus ad quaerendum ouem 〈◊〉〈◊〉, incarnatio est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dei. Impositio ouis in humero Re∣demptio est generis humani, in proprio corpore. Et quia sponte hoc fecit ideo gaudens describitur. Reditus domum Resurrectio & Assensio in caelum. Conuocatio amicorum & vicinorum, associatio est Angelica gaudens de reperatione [ E] humana. Titus Bostrens. in Luc. 15. Christus Deus noster accendit lucernam, hoc est suam ipsius carnem, mun∣dum{que} quae domus illius est euertit, hoc est a peccatis expiauit, id est drachmam, quae Regiae quidem ima∣gine insignita erat, verū perturbationum caeno poenitus obruta, quaesiuit. Drachma autem inuenta, gaudio plenus, conuocauit caelestes virtutes, amat enim illas, conceptaeque laetitiae easdem participes, mysteriorumque oeconu∣miae suae participes 〈◊〉〈◊〉.