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*

IESVIT. [ A]

The second Proposition: Many Saints endured more penalties and afflictions in this life, than were necessarie for the recompensing of the temporall: paines due to their sinnes: The blessed Virgin neuer committed actuall sinne, witnesse * 1.1 Saint Ambrose, terming her, ab omni 〈◊〉〈◊〉 labe peccati. And Saint Augustine, saying, Plus gratiae ei collatum est ad vincendum ex omni parte peccatum: [ B] Yet she indured many afflictions, as her many iourneys, spe∣cially her banishment into Egypt, her standing at the foote of the Crosse, when the sword of sorrow pierced thorow her heart; besides her many voluntarie fastings and pray∣ings, and other penitentiall workes, which were daily practised in the course of her most holy life. Saint Iohn the * 1.2 Baptist, what a pure and immaeulate course of life held he from his infancie, in the wildernesse? Neuer committed [ C] any great sinnes, yea, scarce so much as light sinnes, as the Fathers teach; gathering their opinion of this his san∣ctitie from the Scripture. And yet extreamely penitentiall was he in his continuall fasting, praying, lying on the ground, induring cold, wind, and weather, his wearing continually a rough haire cloth, whereof S. Paulinus writes,

Vestis erat curui setis compacta Cameli, Contra luxuriam molles duraret vt artus, [ D] Arceretque graues compuncto corpore somnos.

What a mightie Masse of super-abounding Satisfacti∣ons, were gathered from the life of this Saint alone?

The Prophets of the Old Testament, What afflictions did they indure? (which Saint Paul gathers together in * 1.3 the eleuenth Chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrews) being neuerthelesse, men of most holy life, innocent, and without any grieuous sinnes, that the world was vnworthie of [ E] them. As also the Apostles, whose labours were intollera∣ble, specially such, as Saint Paul records, endured by him∣selfe; * 1.4 who yet after Baptisme (in which, his sinnes were

fully and certainely-remitted) neuer did grieuously offend [ A] God. The labours and torments of Martyrs were ex∣treame, * 1.5 and yet any the least Martyrdome is sufficient to satisfie for any great multitude of offences, Quoad Rea∣tum * 1.6 culpae & poenae, of whose merits, the Church (in the Primitiue times) did make most account; to whom after∣wards succeeded another kind of Martyrdome, Horrore quidem mitius, sed diuturnitate molestius, Of holy * 1.7 Confessours, specially of many most holy Eremites. [ B]

These manifold afflictions endured by Saints (farre aboue the measure of the temporall penaltie, which after the eternall, was graciously remitted, did remaine due to their offences) did not perish, nor were forgotten, but were laid vp in the memorie of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ambros. Serm. vlt. in Psal. 118. Aug. d. Nat. & Grat. c. 36.
• * 1.2

  Luc. 1. v. 8. Greg. in ca. 2. Iob.
• * 1.3

  Ad Hebr. 11.38.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 18.
• * 1.5

  Cypr. li. 4. Epist. 2.
• * 1.6

  Aug. tract. 84. in Iohan.
• * 1.7

  Bernard. Serm. 4. in Cantica.